Haitian students are trying to take their school life back to normal and to overcome the trauma caused by the earthquake that that devastated this Caribbean country three months ago with the aid of sports and artistic activities, while the educational fabric is reconstructed. The earthquake of past 12 January destroyed or severely damaged half of Haiti’s 15,000 primary schools and 1,500 high schools. Thus, the NGO Entreculturas emphasizes that educational actions during the emergency must be a priority. These actions were put into effect on April 1 in seven camps of displaced people close to Haiti’s capital city, to normalize the school life of 6.000 children and help them overcome the trauma.
Educational System’s Reconstruction
Classes, which started again on April 5, are combined with non formal educational activities, like arts, sports or various entertainment forms for children, states the organization. Entreculturas and its local partners, Fe y Alegría Haití and the Servicio Jesuita para el Refugiado y el Migrante (Jesuit Service for the Refugee and the Migrant), have provided training seminars for teachers in the camps, for them to have better capacities to assist children affected by the earthquake and, thus, to understand better some of the situations that influence their behaviour.
Besides, the NGO provides technical education for employment during the reconstruction, through modules that last between three and six months to train builders, electricians, plumbers or welders. 1.200 young people have registered.