Jonathan flew to Haiti on 25th February to investigate the possibilities for a project for Hope for Children (described below).
He has met Bobby Duval, who has spent the last 15 years building up a sports academy called L’Athletic de Hatit. He works with very disadvantaged children in the poorest neighbourhoods of the poorest country in the western hemisphere. He is assisted by coach Sylvain Richard who has worked with Arsene Wegner and other top French coaches, and Stephanie who runs the sports centres. They serve about 1000 children. The academy is primary a social organisation, with sport their second priority.
Jonathan went with Bobby to visit two of the centres; the second visit was to Athletique Bois Neuf, where he saw happy kids playing football. There were kids from the academy playing football with some of the kids from the crowds of homeless who are squatting on the academy’s playing field.
Jonathan says that driving around Port au Prince is mind blowing. The destruction is not as dramatic or obvious as he expected it to be, houses are still standing right next to buildings that have been flattened. It is usually the houses that were poorly constructed that collapsed. However, he has learned that appearances are deceptive. Almost every hospital has been destroyed or severely damaged. About 45% of schools were destroyed, with 45% badly damaged. Most public spaces and football fields have been taken over by the homeless.
On a positive note, Bobby Duval is very enthusiastic about the proposal to establish youth football leagues and has the capacity to deliver. He needs money, kit and training for his coaches, which are all the things that Hope for Children is offering.
Jonathan will be working on further detail and in discussion with senior officers at Hope for Children.
Watch this space for further developments.
Background Information:
Pat met Jonathan Lea-Howarth in 2005 when he came to her office to work as a temporary secretary. He soon became her full time PA. When Pat retired, Jonathan took a job for a charity, working on a project in Burkino Faso. Jonathan is now on the verge of departure for Haiti to work on the preliminary phase of Project Phoenix.
Jonathan has sent out this appeal:
This is an appeal from Hope for Children (www.hope4c.org) - a UK based charity which works with grassroot projects around the world with the aim to help disabled, orphaned, poor and exploited children who cannot get aid, support or assistance elsewhere.
The rebuilding of Haiti will take many years. It is likely that tens of thousands of people will be displaced from their homes for years to come and therefore long-term support must be provided to these most vulnerable members of Haitian society, with programmes and services which meet their needs.
To help the most vulnerable children affected by the recent earthquake, Hope for Children plans to work with local Haitian partners to initiate youth-led football leagues around the areas worst affected in Port au Prince. Like in most countries, football in Haiti is extremely popular and can serve as a hook to gather the bored youths of these massive camps together for the delivery of empowering and participatory social programmes targeting key issues such as sexual health and child protection. The youths will play a central role in organising these leagues, teaching them communication, organisation and leadership skills which will help them blossom.
What is urgently needed by Hope for Children to make this a reality is money. We are trying to raise £20,000 to support phase 1 of this long term project which will begin in Haiti on 25th February 2010 when Hope for Children’s Director, Bob Parsons, and the Project Phoenix Programme Manager, Jonathan Lea-Howarth, land in Port-au-Prince. 100% of the money from this appeal will be spent in the field.
Why should you give money to this particular project? The major agencies like UNICEF and Plan International will no doubt do a good job of providing children with the necessities, like food, shelter and medical help and will have lots of money to do so. It is unlikely that anyone will think to provide an innovative project like this. We are filling a gap. We are putting a smile back on the faces of Haitian youth. We are empowering the new leaders of tomorrow. We are teaching leadership and communication skills. We are spreading life saving information about HIV/AIDS.
We are Project Phoenix.
How can you help?
Hope for Children is also registered in America and so US Citizens wishing to make their donations tax deductible should get in touch with Jonathan (3lions@gmail.com) directly for information about how to donate.
You can follow Project Phoenix on Twitter @HaitiPhoenix
For more info or to get involved please contact the Programme Manager, Jonathan Lea-Howarth directly on +44(0)7910099750 or via email 3lions@gmail.com
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