The sun rises early in Haiti, casting its golden rays over the landscape as the day begins anew. By 5:30 a.m., the sounds of laughter and chatter fill the air, signaling the start of another day at OI Haiti, home to Orphans International children.
Jacmel, Haiti. As I slowly awaken, greeted by the eager faces of a dozen children peering through the doors and window of my room, I can’t help but smile. To them, I’m the “white guy” who has been a part of their lives for what feels like an eternity – a comforting presence in a world marked by uncertainty and hardship.
The aftermath of the hurricanes has left its mark on this resilient community, with challenges ranging from water shortages to the absence of electricity. Yet, amidst the adversity, there is a sense of resilience and hope that permeates through the air.
Breakfast is a simple yet satisfying affair, featuring fresh avocado, bananas, and toast, accompanied by the comforting aroma of hot coffee. Despite the lack of formal schooling, the children eagerly engage in household chores, their laughter echoing through the halls as they go about their day.
As I attempt to write a report amidst the chaos of small hands tugging at my sleeves and curious eyes watching my every move, I am reminded of the profound bond that exists between us. Despite the language barrier, their laughter is a universal language that transcends words.
Parenthood, albeit unconventional, is a journey marked by moments of laughter, frustration, and unconditional love. My simple command of “Stop!” may seem insignificant, but it signifies a boundary that is respected and understood by all.
As I watch the bustling activity around me, I am filled with a sense of gratitude and pride. These twelve Haitian orphaned children have become a part of my extended family, their resilience and spirit serving as a constant source of inspiration.
In the midst of rough conditions and daily challenges, there is an undeniable sense of joy and fulfillment that comes from being a part of something greater than oneself. At OI Haiti, we have not only changed the lives of these twelve wonderful children – we have changed the entire universe for them, one moment at a time.
As I try to write a report, I am amazed at the number of small hands touching my ‘strange’ body – combing my funny hair, rubbing my arms. In the sweltering heat my patience finally wanes and I use the one word I am training our kids to know while I struggle to remember words in Creole or French. But they get me every time when pressed I yell, “Stop!”
Of course they howl in laughter, as they do for almost anything I try to say or do. I admit I exaggerate my abilities to dance ad sing, but I sadly do no exaggerate my insufficiency with their native languages. Part of me yearns to stay for six months, being tutored daily in French and Creole.
But there is too much development work to be done in New York – raising money to pay for it all – I must return shortly to take charge. So at the moment I have no time to really learn their language and my English “Stop!” must suffice. It works – they stop eating my peanuts, using my deodorant, and not shaving their heads with my electric razor!
I am waking up at OI Haiti where we have helped to change the entire universe for our kids and it is a sensation that trumps almost any other feeling I have ever had. The noisy roosters outside mirror the shouting in my heart of pure joy. Rough conditions or not, we have twelve incredibly wonderful children.
Rollins College announces that President Grant Cornwell will retire in June 2025 after 10 years of exemplary leadership and dedicated service.
“Since 2015, we have had the exceptional good fortune to have Grant Cornwell at the helm of Rollins College,” says Rick Goings ’12H, chairman of the College’s Board of Trustees, in a statement to the Rollins community.
“President Cornwell has been a passionate and innovative leader, tirelessly devoted to the College’s liberal arts mission to educate students for global citizenship and responsible leadership.”
“President Cornwell provided thoughtful and steady leadership during an era of dramatic change in higher education,” says Don Davison, vice president for academic affairs and provost.
“A liberal arts education has never been more relevant, and Grant has overseen a renewed commitment to the College’s mission, strengthening our academic excellence and rigor.”
Throughout his tenure, Cornwell spearheaded numerous strategic initiatives and capital projects to enrich students’ lives and educational experiences, transforming the Rollins campus in the process.
A 1950s library building was refashioned to become Kathleen W. Rollins Hall, the College’s headquarters of applied learning and home of the newly launched Rollins Gateway, a signature program to prepare students for meaningful lives and productive careers. The state-of-the-art Lakeside Neighborhood created a new model for residential colleges that prioritizes health, wellness, and community. The Tiedtke Theatre & Dance Centre has strengthened Rollins’ role as a leader in performing arts education.
Additional milestones of the Cornwell presidency include:
Installation of the 291st chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society in the liberal arts
Transition of the College’s Hamilton Holt School to reorient its offerings to better meet the needs of working adults and returning students
Reimagination of curricular focus and delivery in the Crummer Graduate School of Business
Development and implementation of a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging strategic plan to foster inclusivity and diversity and empower students, faculty, and staff to reach their fullest potential
Expansion of The Alfond Inn, the College’s Winter Park boutique hotel, distinguished by its philanthropic mission that directs all net operating income to scholarships for Rollins students
“Grant has transformed Rollins in ways that will be felt for years to come,” says Rollins Trustee Ted Alfond ’68 ’18H. “I have witnessed his innovative approach to unique opportunities and projects that have enhanced the College as well as the Winter Park community.”
Cornwell will remain in office until June 2025. As Rollins begins a national search for its next president, the College remains committed to building on Cornwell’s legacy and continuing its tradition of excellence in higher education. Information on the search can be found at rollins.edu/president.
We had discovered our true path: post-disaster reconstruction. This is what we have done in Tsunami-ravaged Aceh in Indonesia and in flood-devastated Gonaives in Haiti.
Matt Katz, a leader of the Roosevelt Island community, wrote at the time, “I don’t know of a single group other than Roosevelt Island’s own Orphans International that is asking the question, “When the children are fed and housed, then what?”
How can OI respond quickly to a global emergency when we have such a tiny budget and spend less than 3% of that on bureaucracy? When disaster struck in Haiti, we had already established a presence in Jacmel, and in Indonesia we were firmly established in Sulawesi.
Many global NGOs – Doctors Without Borders, CARE, the Red Cross, Oxfam, and Save the Children are brilliant at emergency care in the event of catastrophe. Other organizations, such as UNICEF, are brilliant at project assistance.
But only Orphans International Worldwide arrives at the scene of destruction and builds a child’s future, pledging to be involved until that child becomes established in adulthood. Many organizations raise millions of dollars for each of OI’s meager hundreds, but unlike many organizations, one year after a disaster OI remains on the spot, continuing to pick up the pieces.
Recent floods in Guatemala and an earthquake in Kashmir between Pakistan and India lead our generous contributors to ask, within hours, what we can do there. The answer is, sadly, simple: nothing. But when we have a presence in the country already, and can obtain additional emergency funding, OI can move quickly.
God forbid tragedy strike Peru, Togo, the Philippines, Guyana, Ghana, or Romania, but as we develop a foothold in these nations, if calamity were to strike, we would be positioned to assist the children.
Children of “Amis de Orphans International” with new educational toys in our play tent.
With two projects running smoothly now, in Sulawesi and Sumatera, I became increasingly concerned about the lack of progress with our third project in Haiti.
Jacmel, Haiti. Jacques Africot, our first OIW-certified houseparent, was nearly ready to open Haiti House in Jacmel with children being considered from Mapou, where flooding had recently killed many parents, and from Mother Teresa’s hospital and a facility for handicapped children in Port-au-Prince. H.S.H. Prince Albert, Beatrice Arthur, and Peter Yarrow had already contributed towards OI Haiti.
“Haiti House” was originally set in Jacmel, but due to problems with the board, we moved to Gonaives.
We had a neighborhood educational program in place known as Amis d’Orphans International(Friends of Orphans International) with an educational room set up with cut-outs and handmade posters. This program was run by Jacques Africot and served about 50 economically disadvantaged children living in the vicinity of our home in Jacmel. On one trip to Haiti,Pranav Gupta, founder of Development International, and I carried down an enormous assortment of educational toys and children’s books that had been contributed to OI in the U.S., as well as a donated tent and baby crib.
We set up the tent inside Haiti House with a large selection of colorful toys and the neighborhood children began to play immediately. The kids had been taught to sing songs and enjoyed their visit with us immensely. Educational toys donated by Beth and Eric Chernik proved to be a tremendous help and greatly loved by the children.
With two projects running smoothly now, in Sulawesi and Sumatera, I became increasingly concerned about the lack of progress with our third project in Haiti. We had attempted to recruit a board in the nation’s capital of Port-au-Prince, but we finally set up our home in Jacmel, a beautiful seaside town four hours to the south of the capital. Only one of the board members attended the opening ceremony. Due to the evident lack of commitment and interest of this board, I formed a new board made up of prominent leaders of Jacmel.
Unfortunately, this attempt to form a board proved to be as unsuccessful as the first! I had assumed the top people in Jacmel would be trustworthy, as they already had what they needed and would not attempt to use this partnership to their advantage.
However, the president of the local Chamber of Commerce, the head of the local civic club, the mayor’s brother, and others all seemed to have only their personal interests at heart, and held our house hostage, waiting to get what they wanted. I refused to rent a far more expensive house belonging to one of them, pay them for their volunteered time, or hire their mistresses as staff. Because I refused to meet their demands, the house remained unused for two whole years.
By January 2005, I had enough. Hurricane Jeanne had hit Gonäives a few months earlier, and although not of the scale of the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, more than 2,000 had perished. There was great need in Gonäives and all we had in Haiti was an empty home in Jacmel.
I flew to the Dominican Republic for a secret meeting with Phadoul Amisial, the human resources director for Haiti’s largest pediatric hospital and the director of the project in Haiti at the time. I did not want the Haitian board to know I was in the area. He crossed the border from Haiti by bus and we settled down for an entire weekend of talks. I proposed that he resign as director and form a new board in his hometown Gonäives where we could help children orphaned by Hurricane Jeanne.
In June 2006, 26 children attended the OI Haiti Orientation, with caretakers, board members, and staff swelling the participants to 47. Sixteen of the children seemed to fit OIW Standards and the caretakers began the application and documentation process with the GonaivesDepartment of Social Affairs. The caretakers were primarily aunts, uncles and grandparents who cannot afford to keep the children.
Careful screening continued for our children. The GonäivesDepartment of Social Affairs screened all documents to confirm that both the child’s parents were deceased or that one was deceased and the legally missing, as per OIW Standards. In addition, a volunteer further screened each child, and our director traveled to the hometown of each child to seek further confirmation of documentation.
The OI Haiti Board in Gonaives, 2005.
According to the Associated Press, that year a rash of kidnappings for ransom was adding to the misery in violence-torn Haiti. An average of four people were kidnapped each day that summer by politically aligned street gangs, drug traffickers, crooked police and criminal deportees from the United States. This was part of what one U.N. official called “an urban war” to destabilize Haiti ahead of October elections to replace ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
Victims ranged from wealthy business owners pulled out of luxury vehicles on busy streets to working-class Haitians snatched from poor neighborhoods. Foreigners were prime targets. U.N. officials reported that at least 130 people were kidnapped in Port-au-Prince in April 2005.
OI Haiti board president Phadoul Amisial wrote during that violent summer, just before Aristide fell, “Don’t worry about my safety. Inshallah, I will be fine. Violence is anywhere now and I cannot stop work just for the violence. I can die anywhere.”
The new board and several government officials, together with our new children, dressed in their Easter finest, attended our opening in Gonäives that same month, July of 2005. A brave delegation from the board in New York, led by Doris Chernik, and Jennifer Prince, participated.
It was an emotional moment to witness five years of effort spent in a country with no government, no electricity, and no infrastructure to speak of, finally yield a home for our children. Today, twelve children live at OI Haiti. One challenge is their education. Sadly, they were several years below grade level in academic skills, and if we sent them to traditional school, they would not be able to learn to the best of their ability. We decided to keep them at the house and open a Montessori-type multi-age group class.
Children and caretakers attended OI Haiti’sOrphanage Orientation in Gonaives.
The project, surrounded by a ten-foot cement fence, also includes a preschool and an ecological center to assist our neighbors with reforestation in the wake of the terrible floods last fall. Situated in a 100 x 150 foot compound, the property was planned to eventually have more than just a home: a community preschool, a public health center, and a community computer center.
The interim campus will hold twelve children, and plans will begin following the opening to move to a larger campus where additional orphans may be cared for. The campus will focus on green architecture, especially solar power and composting.
Phadoul was OI Haiti’s first director, who left when he could not see eye-to-eye with the former board. Now, as the human resources director for Haiti’s largest pediatric hospital, he has returned to OI Haiti as its board leader. Jacques Africot, senior houseparent at OI Haiti, trained at OI Sumatera, where he also learned Indonesian. He has become expert in dealing with orphanage-related challenges and governmental relations.
Haiti House opened in Gonaives.
Within the next 15 months, OI will search for and buy up to forty acres of land in Gonaives at a reasonable price. It will then begin building three or more houses on the land, completing them before the present lease runs out in July 2008. The first three homes will be named for Vladimir Pierre Chernik, Rick Luce, and Frances Alleman-Luce
A ten foot tall wall protects our OI Haiti Interim Campus on the man road in Gonaives.
Each of the older children has chosen a younger child to take care of as if the child were their sibling, combing their hair or doing laundry for them. The children also help keep the house clean and are ready to play their role in the house. They now behave better among themselves.
Our houseparents have a close relationship with the children and with each other. They meet to discuss the use of constructive discipline in the house, prepare a weekly program for school, meet the children at night for an evaluation of the day, plan the next day, and read a story at night with the kids.
Near the Haiticampus of Orphans International, OI children cool off from three-digit temps.
The delegation from America flew to Gonaives in July 2006 to meet with the local Board of Directors of Orphans International, review the educational program, and discuss plans for the future. They also brought some 80 pounds of French books donated by another Roosevelt Island resident, Raya Barut, and a dozen math workbooks donated by PS/IS 217. The workbooks will made it easier to individualize instruction – essential when the range of skill varies as much as it does here.
The children of OI Haiti pose for their first “family photograph” on Day 1.
The primary school children will attend the local school; the preschool children will be taught on the OI campus. A few local children will be invited to participate. Even the older children knew little more than the alphabet when they arrived at the orphanage in October 2005.
Within a year, all of them could read and do math at 2nd or 3rd grade level. Even so, the older children will enter classes 1-2 years below their age-appropriate class. The plan is to move them forward with supplemental individualized instruction during the school term, with summer school this year and in the future.
Abigaëllewith Walter, her “baby brother.”
While in the area, the members of the delegation invited the children of OI Haiti to the hotel pool. The children were ready in minutes and jumped into the waiting truck, ready for a swim. There are the delighted shouts, laughter, squeals, jumping, and splashing of twelve happy children. Afterwards, we ate spaghetti and pizza. Unlike many American children, these kids had no complaints about ingredients, and were polite and appreciative. They didn’t ask for seconds but happily accepted them when they were offered. The day at the pool was as much fun for us as for the kids, and we hated to leave.
Orphans International Haiti has a working permit from the GonäivesTown Hall, has registered with the DGI (Haitian equivalent of the American IRS), and is in the process of registering with the Institut du Bien-Etre Social (Department of Social Affairs).
Published originally in the OI Blogspot, April 14, 2008.
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The best and brightest students of our elementary school are chosen to take a field trip to the provincial airport to welcome a foreign guest – me.
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In 1979, Bogotá, Colombia, was a city in flux, grappling with the turbulent forces of “la violencia” that disrupted lives and upended routines. As a student venturing into the heart of this South American metropolis, the dichotomy between extreme poverty and wealth cast a stark shadow over the urban landscape, leaving an indelible mark on the psyche of visitors and residents alike. Fast forward to the present day, and Bogotá stands as a testament to resilience, growth, and modernization. Yet, beneath the surface, the echoes of its tumultuous past continue to reverberate, shaping the city’s trajectory and challenging perceptions of progress.
Venturing into the heart of Bogotá in 1979 was akin to stepping into a world where contrasts collided with startling clarity. The bustling streets surrounding Uni Centro, once a hub of academic pursuit and cultural exchange, were tinged with an air of uncertainty as whispers of violence permeated the cityscape. Yet, amid the chaos, pockets of vibrancy emerged, offering glimpses into the rich tapestry of Colombian life. Simon Bolivar Park, with its verdant expanses and vibrant community gatherings, provided a sanctuary of sorts—a place where the weight of the world momentarily lifted, and the promise of a brighter future beckoned.
Families enjoying an afternoon in Simon Bolivar Park in January 2016.
However, alongside these moments of respite lay the harsh realities of inequality that plagued Bogotá and many other cities across the Global South. Extreme poverty and wealth coexisted in uneasy proximity, with sprawling slums juxtaposed against opulent mansions and glittering skyscrapers. The juxtaposition was jarring, serving as a stark reminder of the deep-rooted disparities that pervaded Colombian society.
City view of Bogotá, Colombia, 2016. Photo: Dominic Chavez/World Bank.
Today, Bogotá has undergone a remarkable transformation, emerging as a beacon of progress and innovation in Latin America. The city’s skyline is punctuated by sleek office towers and modern infrastructure, a testament to its newfound status as a global player on the economic stage. Neighborhoods once marred by violence have been revitalized, becoming vibrant hubs of culture, commerce, and creativity. The sprawling expanse of Simon Bolivar Park remains a cherished oasis in the heart of the city, serving as a symbol of Bogotá’s resilience and determination to forge a brighter future.
Yet, for all its progress, Bogotá remains a city defined by contrasts—a place where the echoes of the past linger amidst the march towards modernity. The specter of inequality still looms large, casting a shadow over the city’s aspirations for inclusive growth and development. While the skyline may have transformed, the divide between rich and poor persists, with marginalized communities struggling to access the opportunities afforded to their wealthier counterparts.
City view of Bogotá, Colombia, 2016. Photo: Dominic Chavez/World Bank.
In navigating Bogotá’s complex tapestry of poverty and wealth, it becomes clear that the city’s evolution is not simply a narrative of progress, but one of profound social, economic, and political upheaval. The legacy of “the violence” continues to shape the lived experiences of Bogotanos, informing their perceptions of identity, belonging, and resilience. In the face of such challenges, however, there exists a palpable sense of optimism—a belief that Bogotá’s future is not predetermined, but rather shaped by the collective actions of its inhabitants.
As Bogotá continues to chart its course in the 21st century, it is imperative that it confronts the realities of poverty and wealth head-on, striving to build a more equitable and inclusive city for all. This requires not only bold policy initiatives and investment in infrastructure but also a commitment to addressing the root causes of inequality and social exclusion. Only then can Bogotá truly fulfill its potential as a beacon of hope and opportunity in the Global South.
Bogotá’s journey from the tumult of the late 20th century to the dynamism of the present day is a testament to the resilience of its people and the power of collective action. As the city continues to evolve, it is essential that it confronts the challenges of poverty and wealth with courage, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to building a better future for all who call Bogotá home.
Jim Luce brings a thoughtful perspective to food writing that goes well beyond simple restaurant reviews. His approach to culinary journalism reflects a deep understanding that cuisine serves as a cultural bridge, connecting diners to heritage, tradition, and artistic expression. Through his writing, Jim explores how food tells stories about communities, families, and the creative spirit that drives culinary innovation.
His body of work spans various publications and covers a diverse range of dining experiences across New York City. From exploring authentic Thai cuisine in Astoria and Hell’s Kitchen to discovering restaurants that combine exceptional food with meaningful social missions, Jim’s writing captures both the flavors on the plate and the human stories behind them.
His reviews of establishments like Boucherie demonstrate his ability to weave personal experience with broader culinary observations, creating food writing that resonates with readers who share his belief that every meal is an opportunity to connect with culture and creativity. Through platforms like Daily Kos and other publications, Jim has established himself as a voice that celebrates food as both nourishment and narrative.
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Accra –– Primary, secondary, and university education are vital pillars for Ghana’s development and progress as a nation in West Africa. These three levels of education play distinct yet interconnected roles in equipping individuals with the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for personal growth, economic prosperity, and societal advancement.
Primary education serves as the bedrock upon which all subsequent learning is built. It is during these formative years that children acquire fundamental literacy and numeracy skills, as well as the critical thinking abilities that will enable them to navigate the complexities of the modern world. Ghana has made commendable strides in expanding access to primary education, with primary school completion rates reaching nearly 100% in 2016, up from 80% in 2008. However, challenges persist, with an estimated 623,500 children still not enrolled in primary school.
Ensuring universal access to quality primary education is crucial for Ghana’s future. It not only empowers individuals with the basic tools for lifelong learning but also lays the groundwork for a skilled and productive workforce. Primary education instills values of discipline, curiosity, and a love for learning – essential attributes for success in higher levels of education and future careers.
Secondary education in Ghana serves as a vital bridge between primary schooling and higher education or vocational training. The junior secondary level (grades 7-9) builds upon the primary curriculum, while the senior secondary level (grades 10-12) prepares students for tertiary studies or entry into the workforce.
Ghana’s efforts to improve access to secondary education, including the construction of new schools and the introduction of vocational training programs, are commendable. However, admission to senior secondary schools remains highly competitive, with only a limited number of students gaining entry to public institutions. This highlights the need for continued investment in expanding secondary education opportunities, as well as ensuring quality and relevance in the curriculum.
Secondary education plays a pivotal role in developing the critical thinking, problem-solving, and specialized skills required for success in the 21st century job market. It equips students with the knowledge and competencies necessary to contribute to Ghana’s economic growth and development.
University Education: Driving Innovation and Progress
Ghana’s tertiary education system has experienced remarkable growth in recent decades, with the number of universities increasing from just three in 1990 to 70 in 201. This expansion reflects the recognition that a skilled and educated workforce is essential for economic development, global competitiveness, and innovation.
Ghanaian universities offer a diverse range of programs, from traditional degrees to technology-based training and vocational courses, catering to the diverse needs of the job market. University education not only produces the skilled professionals and researchers needed to drive innovation and economic growth but also fosters critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
However, the rapid expansion of tertiary education has also brought challenges, such as overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, and disparities in educational quality between institutions. Addressing these issues through continued investment in educational infrastructure, faculty development, and quality assurance measures is crucial for ensuring that Ghana’s university system can meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy.
Continued Investment, Reforms, and Commitment to Quality Education
The importance of primary, secondary, and university education for Ghana’s development cannot be overstated. Primary education lays the foundation for lifelong learning, secondary education bridges the gap and prepares students for higher studies or the workforce, and university education drives innovation, economic growth, and societal progress. By investing in these three pillars of education, Ghana can unlock the full potential of its human capital, fostering a skilled, knowledgeable, and adaptable workforce capable of navigating the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
While Ghana has made significant strides in expanding access to education at all levels, challenges remain, including disparities in educational quality, teacher shortages, and limited resources. Addressing these issues through continued investment, policy reforms, and a commitment to quality education for all will be crucial for ensuring that Ghana’s education system can meet the needs of its growing population and support the country’s development goals.
The Indonesian Government has started to improve programs for children up to 6 years of age
Since 2006, the Indonesian Government has worked with the World Bank to implement the Early Childhood Education and Development Program, to help prepare children to enter school. The program aims to reach 738,000 children aged 0-6. The program is integrated with other services, such as nutritious food for children, to provide comprehensive support to a child’s development. Gorontalo, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Photo: Erly Tatontos / World Bank
I was afraid of Haiti due to the images of overwhelming poverty, the countless coups and endless violence. But I did choose Haiti, and Doris and others like her joined me in this effort. Together we set off to Haiti to try to organize a Haitian committee to build the project using many of our ideas and much of our funding. I had early concerns that it might be difficult to identify potential committee members and convince them to become involved.
Port-au-Prince. My minister asked me as we prepared to depart for Haiti what the exact plan was. I raised myself up to the theological challenge of such a question and told him boldly that it was “in God’s hands.” He laughed heartily and said that meant I didn’t really know. I smiled. I didn’t. As always, he knew me too well.
As the plane touched down on the island, I could see shack after shack spread out below us. The heat hit us on the tarmac. Communication is a challenge in Haiti, as electricity and telephone links are intermittent at best. We headed for our base camp – an old French Victorian hotel called Hotel Oloffson in a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince against which the U.S. embassy warns foreign travelers. Coincidentally, Charles Addams (“Addams Family“) stayed in this hotel and found inspiration there.
They were very pleasant and invited me with such sincerity and expectation that it cut through my hesitation. I agreed to go the next night. They gave me their e-mail addresses, their home address, their telephone number, and complete names as we parted ways.
The next night, after having left their contact information carefully in the hands of my American friends at the hotel, I walked again to the park. My potential hosts were waiting for me and lit up as brightly as the streetlights around the park to see that the American had really come. We left for their home in spite of my apprehension, and as we left the circle of light and entered the pitch darkness of the streets, things seemed legitimate.
Several blocks from the park, pitch black because the streetlights had long ago failed, we arrived at a store. They informed me that their family home was up the hill behind the place, so we climbed up the broken steps, slipping in the overwhelming darkness. Water seemed to be flowing under our feet down the path, but I could not even see my feet. As I continued to slip, the two men gathered at my sides and held my arms firmly so that I didn’t loose my footing. I was secure. Escape was impossible.
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We arrived at a large cement block building. Many people were sitting on its steps in the dark – no lanterns, no candles – just people sitting quietly in the oppressive heat and darkness. My hosts proposed that I follow them up to the second floor. I was scared and realized that I could only be brutally honest. I explained that I was frightened and wished to go back to the street café to drink with them there. They tried to explain how safe I was, but I was resolute and we drank in the café instead.
As the week went on I continued to meet with people across Haiti in shelters, orphanages, schools, and medical clinics. I learned much about Haiti and how its people have been exploited for centuries. The poverty in Haiti is incredible, and the opportunity for improvement slim. As I traveled Haiti and made friends with Haitians from all walks of life, I asked them about my friends in the park, and whether I should visit their home or not. My confusion gnawed at me; I felt I had been wrong in not accepting a gracious invitation, if that’s what it was.
My new Haitian contacts could not tell me whether to trust the two in the park or not. They loved their country and its people, but they realized that extreme poverty leads occasionally to extreme violence. Trust your instincts, they told me. “Feel the reality.”
With Felix, a street child in Port-au-Prince.
Towards the end of my visit I made my final pilgrimage to the park. My friends were there, and we laughed and talked, and then I surprised them by announcing that I wanted to visit their home if the offer still stood. It did, and off we went. However, this time the neighborhood had electricity. The path was still dark, but when we reached the house it was brightly lit.
I was introduced to the aunts and uncles, the nieces and nephews, the little brothers and sisters, the father and the mother, and finally the grandmother. They offered me no refreshments, as they didn’t have any, but I was offered a place next to the grandmother and we retold the story of my first attempted visit. I brought down the house when I pantomimed shaking with fear, declaring in just-learned Creole, “I’m scared!”
We returned to my hotel, a new experience for them, where we shared a drink and promised to be friends into the future. They still could not understand why I liked Haiti. I told them that it was because of the extreme beauty of the Haitian landscape and the Haitian people, and mostly because of my admiration for the strength and hope of Haitians. Haitians have been put down for so long that they should have just given up long ago, but they have not. They are filled with hope, resolve and strength.
My trip to Haiti and my hopes for its people are like my trip to my friends’ house near the park. The way is dark, the path is slippery and filled with holes. But with faith and the support of the Haitian people I have come out in the clearing, and it is well lit and welcoming.
I went to Haiti to offer a bit of hope and strength to an impoverished people. I left Haiti having instead gained hope and strength from these same people; I was the one who became empowered. I realized the resilience and fortitude of which humanity is capable, and I have grown as a result. I have now traveled to Haiti fifteen times and I still feel the same connection as I did on that first trip.
As I sit in the front yard of the orphanage we founded in 2002, surrounded by our twelve laughing children, combing my strange hair, touching my funny legs, comparing their tiny hands to my giant ones, I wonder how I can quantify the electric pulses of love flowing from these kids? How do you measure happiness in orphaned children? By their smiles? By their appetites? By their school grades?
Jacmel. In July we moved our children from the gritty city of Gonäives destroyed by Hurricane Jeanne in 2004 to the city of Jacmel, home of French colonial architecture, surrounded by lush mountains, and sitting on a beautiful bay.
Our home in Gonäives was always dusty, the city and countryside deforested and now desert-like. It is the inability of the land there to absorb rain and run-off from the mountains that leads to regular catastrophe. Our home in Gonaives collapsed during Hurricane Hannah eight weeks after we left.
Our children, many orphaned by Hurricane Jeanne, realize they escaped their own deaths by moving with us to Jacmel. They realize that they live in a home that flood waters will not touch, nor high winds blow away.
Our kids today have enormous smiles – bigger than I have ever seen them before. They have access in Jacmel to more food then they have ever seen in their lives and they are eating double portions three meals a day. Not to mention their academic scores have soared.
This is not to say they do not remember the hard times in Gonäives, or that psychological damage suffered there will not be hard for them to overcome.
Seven year old Jean told me yesterday, “If we had stayed, we would have died.” Twelve year-old Samson remembers from Hurricane Jeanne, “Cars and dead bodies floating by.” Bernadine, age nine, remembers climbing to her roof to survive. “I was happy last week because we did not die,” she confided quietly to me.
The children of Orphans International in Jacmel are as strong as the people of Haiti themselves. No where in the world is there stronger people. Independent for over two hundred years – the first successful slave revolt which finally sent their masters packing – has left a host of leaders and outside powers who have in effect re-enslaved Haiti’s population, creating poverty and violence generation after generation. Any Haitian whose family has survived the endemic violence is strong by definition. Pride follows strength.
We are raising our little Haitians to be global leaders. This international outlook, coupled with the strength of Haitians, will make them proud players on a world playing field. Through their own natural strength, coupled with opportunities we are providing to them, our children shall overcome any obstacles.
I thank our enormously dedicated staff, lead by Jacques Africot and Doris Chernik, Ph.D., and our numerous child sponsors, including H.S.H. Prince Albert of Monaco, Sovereign Prince. This team of committed individuals help the dreams of Orphans International become reality. And allow the nightmares of our children to become their own dreams of Haiti’s future.
– Jim Luce, September 10, Cyvadier Village, Jacmel, South East Province, Haiti
Awardees include African singerEmmanuel Jal, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, Ambassador and author Sichan Siv, Hon. Palitha Kohona, Sri Lankan Ambassador to the U.N., and U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney. Orphans International Worldwide was founded by Jim Luce in 1999 and is associated with the United Nations. There are over 100 Orphans International projects now around the world. Luce is considered the father of the Orphans International Movement.
New York, N.Y.Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. It has practically nothing. Although the U.N. and other international relief agencies are there, they are mostly stationed where the quake hit the hardest.
Orphans International Worldwide Haiti in Cyvadier(www.orphansinternational.org), located just outside Jacmel in the Southern Province, survived the earthquake unscathed. An upcoming benefit in New York City will allow the project to grow.
Currently, the boys stay in the Peter Yarrow Room and the girls in the Doreen Nurse Room. Plans are for a community center to implement a family care model.
Jacques Africot is the Orphans International Worldwide director in Cyvadier. Jacques trained with Orphans International Worldwide founder Jim Luce in Indonesia following the 2004 Tsunami.
Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary, was an early — and remains a strong — supporter. Peter sits on the Global Advisory Board of Orphans International Worldwide, along with H.S.H. Prince Albert of Monaco.
Orphans International Worldwide Haiti has received a pledge from the Monaco Red Cross to assist Orphans International Worldwide roll out its Family Care model in Cyvadier.
Orphans International Worldwide Haiti will have a major benefit at New York City‘s historic Webster Hall(www.websterhall.com) as part of the Quarterly Arts Soiree (www.theqas.com), Sunday, Feb. 28.
The 24-hour Art-a-thon will raise funds for Orphans International Worldwide Haitian relief projects in Jacmel and Leogane, offering entertainment from seven separate event spaces in the venue.
The relief benefit will end with an evening VIP Reception for the organization’s 2010 “Global Citizenship Award for Leadership in Helping Humanity.”
Entertainment personalities, diplomats from the U.N. and Washington, and representatives from international development agencies will be honored. Additional nominations are being accepted.
Awardees include African singer Emmanuel Jal, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, Ambassador and author Sichan Siv, Hon. Palitha Kohona, Sri Lankan Ambassador to the U.N., and U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney.
Orphans International Worldwide was founded by Jim Luce in 1999 and is associated with the United Nations. There are over 100 Orphans International projects now around the world. Luce is considered the father of the Orphans International Movement.
Luce will arrive in Haiti March 5 to personally coordinate OIW’s relief efforts in Leogane and Jacmel. The video of Luce explaining his organization is on-line (www.vimeo.com/9007541).
Contributions for Orphans International Worldwide Haiti may be made on-line.
Orphans International Worldwide is specifically structured to be Interfaith, Interracial, International, Intergenerational, and Internet-Connected.
Orphans International is working in cooperation with CharityHelp International(www.charityhelp.org), Colline Academie (Haiti), and the World Harmony Fund (China).
Port-au-Prince. Safe with an escort, a trusted community leader, we toured Cite de Soleil, the feared shanty town of Port-au-Prince. We were in the worst slum of the worst city in the Western Hemisphere, where tens of thousands of people squeezed into shacks built from scraps and garbage. A European film crew had arrived unescorted the week before, and their expensive TV camera had been smashed and they had fled the slum on foot. President Aristide’s loyalists make their last stand there. Even U.N. Peacekeepers cannot enter safely.
We passed children with extended bellies, swollen not from eating too much, but from malnutrition. Growing up in Ohio, I made mud cakes for fun. These children made them as well, but to eat. I have since learned, from the excellent book, The Neglected and Abused: A Physician’s Year in Haiti, that geophagia is the medical name for this tragic phenomenon [Bentivegna, M.D., Joseph F.; Michelle Publishing Company, CT; 1991; 175 pp.].
As our tour continued, we passed over a large sewage canal deep with rich filth, plants growing over the mud flats, and pigs rooting though the garbage for food. We crossed a narrow wooden planked footbridge to the other side, hopping over two missing planks in the very middle.
I asked my Haitian companions why these planks had not been replaced. With hesitation, and after conferring with each other in Creole, they said that the missing planks had a purpose, for the gap that formed was where women who did not wish to bear life into hell could squat at night and release their offspring into the black darkness below, to sink into the mud as sustenance for the pigs.
I cannot imagine, however, how bad Haiti is at this moment — and we cannot reach our project there outside Jacmel. We have just gotten through to our American neighbor there.
The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation Supporting Young Global Leadership
New York, N.Y. We have yet to hear from our staff in Haiti about the safety of our children there. As founder of Orphans International Worldwide (OIW), I have been in Haiti about 20 times in the last 10 years. I have witnessed riots, the slums of Cite de Soleil, and the destruction of Gonäives after Hurricane Jeanne.
I cannot imagine, however, how bad Haiti is at this moment — and we cannot reach our project there outside Jacmel, in the beautiful village of Cyvadier, home of our Haitian director Jacques Africot.
We have just gotten through to our American neighbor there outside Jacmel, Emmet Murphy:
“It is a complete devastation here. Personally, I am lucky to be alive right now. I was driving back to Jacmel in the mountains (yesterday) when the entire mountain seemed to fall down all around me.
“People were panicking, buildings collapsed on the roadside, and a huge dust plume raised from the valley floor. Seconds later and I would have been crushed by an avalanche that blocked the road. I had to abandon the car and continue on foot.
“Jacmel is a disaster zone. Many houses have collapsed or are severely damaged. Everyone was on the streets when I got to town. There must be many deaths judging from the way the houses collapsed, and given poor construction practices and materials.
“We are unable to get a line through to Port-au-Prince where we have some staff. The Internet is working and it looks really bad judging from pictures on the Internet news sites.
“Both Jacmel and Port-au-Prince are about equidistant from the quake’s epicenter in Leogane.
“We’ll be working with the key emergency response players down here today. The United Nations Peacekeeping (MINUSTAH), Dept Protection Civile, Red Cross, etc., since there are many displaced and they’ll need food, water, etc.
“Unfortunately our supplies are far from here, and as I said the road to Port-au-Prince is cut off and we are essentially stranded here until the road is cleared of tons of rubble.
Orphans International Haiti, located just outside Jacmel in the village of Cyvadier, houses our 11 children in its Chernik House. The boys stay in the Peter Yarrow Room, and the girls in the Doreen Nurse Room.
We have not heard yet about the safety of our staff or kids at Orphans International Haiti.
Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary, was an early – and remains a strong – supporter. Peter sits on the Global Advisory Board of Orphans International Worldwide, along with H.S.H. Prince Albert of Monaco.
My last trip to Haiti was about ten weeks ago when I visited our children and interviewed our Jacques Africot, of Orphans International Haiti. He spoke about the role of education in the developing world(see story).
Jacques is our Haiti director. Jacques has been with OI since before the Tsunami of 2004. He trained with me in Indonesia, helping Tsunami orphans in Aceh.
Sharing a cup of coffee with Jacques Africot as I interview him for a piece ten weeks ago at the Cyvadier Plage Hotel, down the road from OI Haiti.
Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. It has practically nothing. Although the U.N. and other international relief agencies are there, they are mostly stationed where the quake hit the hardest.
I understand that the United Nation’s primary administrative headquarters, MINUSTA, where I have had many meetings over the years, has been severely damaged.
Funds will be needed immediately to get supplies to Haiti. The U.S. government is still assessing damage at the capital’s airport.
I know the American Red Cross representative in Haiti personally and can recommend that funds be given to the American Red Cross for Haiti. That can be done here.
We can only hope that Orphans International Haiti is still standing and that our staff and children there are alive and well.
Contributions may also be made to Orphans International Haiti, where the destruction will make taking care of our children that much more difficult.
Inspecting the new OI Haiti Community Center to be funded in part by the Monaco Red Cross. This type of cement construction sadly is most vulnerable in a massive earthquake.
Orphans International Haiti has recently received a pledge from the Monaco Red Cross to assist Orphans International roll out its Family Care model in Jacmel.
We had discussed the dangers of earthquakes in regard to construction, but we never imagined one could be as large as the one that just hit.
I am incredibly concerned about friends in Port-au-Prince with the U.N., Norwich Mission House, the Olaffson Hotel – the list is endless. OI Haiti‘s last two directors, a child psychologist and a pediatric hospital administrator, are both in Port-au-Prince and I cannot reach them.
To reach the U.S. State Department to check on American citizens in Haiti, call 888-407-4747. I have been calling all day to check on two American friends who were about to visit OI Haiti. I believe they are now in Fondwa.
I pray for their safety, as I pray for the people of Haiti. My heart is bleeding. I hope to be able to join them the moment the airport is re-opened.
Jim Luce’s extensive body of work chronicles over two decades of humanitarian efforts through Orphans International Worldwide, documenting the organization’s mission to support vulnerable children across the globe. From post-tsunami recovery in Indonesia and Sri Lanka to earthquake relief in Haiti, and from establishing orphanages in India to working with Tibetan refugees, Luce’s writings capture both the profound challenges and inspiring triumphs of international child welfare work. His articles, spanning from 2007 to 2024, offer an intimate first-person perspective on disaster response, cross-cultural collaboration, and the tireless dedication required to raise what he calls “global citizens” in some of the world’s most challenging environments.
Had the horrible events of the Nazi occupation not transpired, Janusz Korczak would still be remembered as one of the great educational innovators and child advocates of the twentieth century. However, his courageous response to the events of the Holocaust established him as something even greater.
Barack Obama pauses during a ceremony in Janusz Korczak Squareat Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem.
Many years ago my good friend David Gilfix wrote a play about the great Jewish-Polish orphanage director, Janusz Korczak, and it was ultimately produced in New York. The following is the introduction to the play:
“If the value of a museum exhibition can be determined by its long-term impact, then the Ghetto Fighter’s Museum on Kibbutz LohameGetaot in Israel was invaluable to me. It was at this museum in the early 1980s that I first learned about the Jewish/Polish orphanage director, Janusz Korczak. So powerful was this exhibit that I decided there and then to someday write a play about this man. I wanted to bring Korczak, his co-director Stefa Wilczynska, and the children they sought to protect back to life. I wanted to know them. And for me, the only possible way of doing this was in the form of a play.”
JanuszKorczak with friends and children.
Having visited orphanages in the developing world at that point of my life, I think subliminally David’s play began to focus my mind on what I could do to help save today’s children in crisis. The result was the creation of Orphans International Worldwide, now affiliated with the United Nations, which takes an interfaith approach to raising children in their own cultures.
Staff and children of Nasz Dom (“Our Home”) Orphanage, run by Maryna Falska and Janusz Korczak in Pruszkow, Poland.
Janusz Korczak, the pen name of Henryk Goldszmit, was a complicated yet brilliant, multi-faceted man. There was Korczak the author, whose witty novels, social satires, and children’s books were read across Europe. There was Korczak the doctor, whose research and publications in medical journals were instrumental towards major improvements to pediatrics in pre-World War II Poland. Most of all, there was Korczak the exceptional orphanage administrator.
Korczak established a Jewish orphanage in Warsaw in 1911 called the “Dom Sierot,” and together with Stefa Wilczynska, he ran it for more than thirty years. He also ran a Christian orphanage in Bielany and served on the Board of Directors of several other orphanages.
Korczak’s revolutionary ideas about child development almost single-handedly upgraded the orphanage institution in Poland. His theories about a child’s “right to respect” and “the dignity of the child” had enormous influence throughout Poland and Europe. Korczak’s Children’s Court, which became integral to the way he nurtured and governed children within his orphanage, is still studied today.
When Germany invaded Poland in World War II and forced a huge portion of the Jewish population including the Dom Sierot inside the Warsaw Ghetto, Korczak’s total energy was devoted to saving his orphans as well as other abandoned children.
Had the horrible events of the Nazi occupation not transpired, Korczak would still be remembered as one of the great educational innovators and child advocates of the twentieth century. However, his courageous response to the events of the Holocaust established him as something even greater.
Korczak received multiple offers from well-meaning friends outside the Ghetto walls to be smuggled to freedom. He rejected all of them, for he would not abandon his children.
On August 5th, 1942, Korczak, Stefa Wilczynska, and approximately 200 orphans were put on a train that would take them to their death in Treblinka. Immediately thereafter, the Warsaw Ghetto Fighters adopted a new battle cry: “Remember Korczak’s children!” He had become legend.
Today Janusz Korczak is a national hero in Poland. Israeli school children learn about his exploits. And in Poland, at the site of the former death camp in Treblinka, there are numerous plaques commemorating the countries from which people died. Only one mentions a person’s name. It says, “Janusz Korczak and the Children.”
A free press, often termed the “fourth estate,” is fundamental to preserving democracy. It serves as a watchdog, holding government officials and institutions accountable by uncovering corruption, exposing injustices, and ensuring transparency. A vibrant media landscape fosters informed citizenry by providing diverse perspectives and critical information necessary for public debate and decision-making. By amplifying marginalized voices and scrutinizing power, a free press upholds democratic principles, encourages civic engagement, and guards against the erosion of civil liberties. In essence, the freedom of the press is indispensable for a healthy, functioning democracy, ensuring that truth and justice prevail over censorship and propaganda.
Cairo — The arrival of Reginald’s pudgy younger brother, Dudley, from England was a source of both excitement and trepidation. Reginald, a man of routine and order, was a picture of precision and predictability. Dudley, on the other hand, was a whirlwind of impulsive energy and unpredictable antics.
Dudley Featherbottom arrives on holiday to visit his brother Reginald in Cairo, 1865.
As the steamship docked, Reginald stood on the pier, his spectacles perched precariously on his nose, a mixture of anticipation and apprehension etched on his face.
He had meticulously planned Dudley’s visit, a month of carefully curated activities and experiences designed to showcase the wonders of Cairo.
But Dudley, true to form, had other plans.
“Reginald, old boy!” he exclaimed, bounding off the ship, his luggage trailing behind him like a mischievous puppy. “I’ve brought you a surprise!”
Reginald’s heart sank. He knew that Dudley’s “surprises” were often less than delightful.
Dudley produced a small, caged monkey from his coat pocket. “Meet Bartholomew!” he announced proudly. “He’s my traveling companion.”
Reginald stared at the monkey, which was already attempting to unbutton his waistcoat. “Dudley,” he began, his voice trembling slightly, “I don’t think Bartholomew is quite what I had in mind…”
But Dudley was already off, dragging Reginald towards the bustling souk, Bartholomew chattering excitedly on his shoulder. Reginald’s carefully planned itinerary lay in tatters, replaced by a chaotic adventure with his unpredictable brother.
Days turned into weeks, and Reginald found himself swept up in Dudley’s whirlwind of mischief. They visited the pyramids, not in the sedate manner Reginald had envisioned, but with Bartholomew perched atop the Sphinx, much to the amusement of the local vendors.
They ventured into the labyrinthine alleyways of the souk, Dudley bargaining with flamboyant gestures and Reginald trailing behind, apologizing profusely for his brother’s antics.
One evening, Dudley announced that he had procured tickets to a performance of the belly dancers. Reginald, horrified, protested that such entertainment was hardly respectable. But Dudley, ever the showman, insisted, and Reginald, outnumbered and outmaneuvered, found himself swept into the vibrant spectacle.
To his surprise, Reginald found himself captivated by the dancers’ grace and the infectious rhythm of the music. He even found himself tapping his foot, a rare occurrence for a man of his reserved nature.
As the month drew to a close, Reginald found himself strangely reluctant to see his brother go. Dudley, despite his chaotic tendencies, had brought a spark of life and adventure into his otherwise predictable existence.
As the steamship pulled away from the dock, Reginald waved goodbye, a faint smile playing on his lips. He knew that Dudley would be back, and that his next visit would undoubtedly be just as unpredictable and unforgettable.
And as he watched his brother disappear into the distance, Reginald couldn’t help but feel a pang of excitement for the next chapter in their shared adventure.
WEAVE THIS SECOND VERSION INTO THE FIRST…
Reginald Featherbottom, a man of routine and order, found himself thrown into chaos upon the arrival of his younger brother, Dudley. Dudley, a whirlwind of impulsive energy and unpredictable antics, had arrived in Cairo with the express purpose of enjoying a month-long holiday, much to Reginald’s chagrin.
As the days passed, Reginald noticed a peculiar pattern in Dudley’s behavior.
He would disappear for hours at a time, returning with a mischievous glint in his eye and a faint scent of exotic spices clinging to his clothes. Reginald, ever the observant elder brother, couldn’t help but wonder about Dudley’s clandestine activities.
One afternoon, Reginald decided to follow his brother’s trail. He discreetly trailed Dudley through the bustling souk, his heart pounding with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. He watched as Dudley disappeared into a dimly lit alleyway, only to emerge moments later with a young, handsome merchant, their arms linked.
Reginald’s suspicions were confirmed.
Dudley, the paragon of propriety, was engaging in a clandestine romance with a local merchant, a fact he had kept hidden from his unsuspecting brother. Reginald’s mind reeled with the implications of this revelation. How could Dudley, a man of such impeccable breeding, stoop to such a scandalous affair?
Torn between his duty as a brother and his desire to maintain his own reputation.
As the week progressed, Reginald found himself playing an unwitting role in Dudley’s charade. He would receive cryptic notes from Dudley, requesting his assistance in covering up his whereabouts. Reginald, a man of principle, found himself torn between his duty as a brother and his desire to maintain his own reputation.
One evening, Dudley announced that he had secured tickets to a performance of the belly dancers, a spectacle that Reginald, a man of refined sensibilities, considered to be utterly distasteful. However, Dudley, ever the showman, insisted, and Reginald, outnumbered and outmaneuvered, found himself swept into the vibrant spectacle.
To his surprise, Reginald found himself captivated by the dancers’ grace and the infectious rhythm of the music. He even found himself tapping his foot, a rare occurrence for a man of his reserved nature.
As the week drew to a close, Reginald found himself strangely reluctant to see his brother go. Dudley, despite his chaotic tendencies, had brought a spark of life and adventure into his otherwise predictable existence.
As the steamship pulled away from the dock, Reginald waved goodbye.
A faint smile playing on his lips. He knew that Dudley would be back, and that his next visit would undoubtedly be just as unpredictable and unforgettable. And as he watched his brother disappear into the distance, Reginald couldn’t help but feel a pang of excitement for the next chapter in their shared adventure.
The True Tales of Reginald Featherbottom, Correspondent of The London Clarion
Orphans International Sri Lanka was founded following the 2004 tsunami. Now fully trained, the staff are beginning their own program for the children of Unawatuna.
The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation Supporting Young Global Leadership
Unawatuna, Sri Lanka.Orphans International Sri Lanka, an affiliate of Orphans International Worldwide, was founded in Sri Lanka following the 2004 Tsunami.
The organization, to help Sri Lankan children, was built in memory of Dr. Cresenta Fernando, a Sri Lankan native who worked for the World Bank in Washington and who perished in the Tsunami of 2004.
For the last year, the NGO staff have worked and trained in community center of a village called Kathaluwa. This ocean-side village sits about 30 minutes south of the city of Galle in the Southern Province.
Today, now fully trained, the staff are beginning their own program for the children of Unawatuna, about 15 minutes south of Galle. For the first year, they will be hosted by the local Buddhist temple.
Perched on a hill overlooking beautiful Unawatuna Bay, the temple is at peace. Several years ago it was far more chaotic. It was where the survivors of the Tsunami fled — up the hill — to seek protection following the 2004 Tsunami.
The author meets the children of Orphans International in Unawatuna.
The program has about 60 boys and girls already involved. Fourteen of them are orphans from the Tsunami that the group has worked with.
The staff of Orphans International in Sri Lanka have been trained now for three years.
About 60 children and that many adults gathered for cake.
They include two brothers: Buddika Bandera, local director, and Indika Bandera, a global officer of Orphans International Worldwide presently assigned to Sri Lanka.
The idea for Orphans International Worldwide began when I adopted a son from Indonesia in 1995, and was traumatized by the 199 children I left behind.
Officially, OI Worldwide began in 1999 — this year is the association’s tenth anniversary. Coincidentally, my fiftieth birthday.
I helped pass out pastries to children who had witnessed the Tsunami.
My mother challenged me at the age of forty to begin a “better way” of taking care of children, which today is both our “small-homes” model and “family-care” model.
My mother then died, and proceeds from her estate went into implementing our project, now operating is Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
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Our first homes — in Indonesia and Haiti — opened their doors to children in need in 2001.
I spoke to the kids in English and staff translated into Sinhala.
That year we were incorporated as a non-profit organization in the U.S. for the purpose of raising funds for and educating the public on the plight of the poorest of the poor: orphaned and abandoned children in the developing world.
Orphans International Sri Lanka began following the 2004 Tsunami when an American family, the Cohen’s, cared enough about a lost Sri Lankan son-in-law to begin a program for children in his memory.
The Tsunami hit Unawatuna directly, and many of its survivors made it to the Buddhist temple overlooking the sea. That is where OI Sri Lanka is now based.
Buddika Bandera (green shirt, right) is the local project director.
John Lee was the first international director of OISL. Based in New York, but originally from Malaysia and Singapore, John devoted two years of his life to training Indika and Buddika Bandera. These two brothers now head the program by themselves.
The organization’s first program was held in Kathaluwa, where OISL staff and overseas volunteers trained with local staff to teach computer, English, and vocational training to the children.
After one year, OISL has moved all of its resources now to focus on the village of Unawatuna.
Here, we will offer Orphan International Worldwide‘s “Family Care Model” — providing the extended families with the resources to be able to keep a child in the family. Small funding for school uniforms, books and food is given to the aunts, uncles, or grandparents.
The adults of Unawatuna are delighted that OI will offer programming.
The mission of Orphans International Sri Lanka — as for all OI associated projects — is to help orphaned or abandoned children grow into solid citizens and leaders of the world.
OI’s approach, as I wrote ten years ago, is:
“Interfaith, because there are many paths up the mountain; Interracial, because there is but one race – the human race; International, because our neighbors are our family; Intergenerational, because there is much to learn from our elders; and Internet-Connected, because the world today is at our fingertips.”
Inside the hillside temple is an intricately carved wooden alter.
The Buddhist temple has served the Unawatuna community for about 300 years. It enjoys tremendous support from the village’s 30,000 residents.
The senior monk attended my welcoming party. At 70, the venerable Matara Kusalagnana is a wise and particularly soft-spoken man.
Orphans International Sri Lanka now overlooks Unawatuna Bay.
The OI projects around the world have received funding from Newman’s Own, the Red Cross of Monaco, and individual support.
Orphans International is associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information.
All children in the care of Orphans International must be given the same love and security that each of our team members would give to our own children. The rule is named after my adopted son, Mathew, now 15. He surprised me recently by stating he wished to move to Sri Lanka, study Buddhism, and teach computer skills to our kids there.
Giving children a chance to grow up and explore their world is what Orphans International is all about.
Photos by Indika Bandera. Transportation courtesy of Air France. Originally published in The Huffington Post, July 19, 2009.
I recently sat down in Jacmel with Jacques Africot, the Director of Orphans International Haiti, to speak about the role of education in the developing world. OI Haiti is part of Orphans International Worldwide, which I founded a decade ago.
“All families – anywhere in the developing world, maybe simply anywhere in the world – wish to have well-educated children, even though they themselves might lack a formal education,” Jacques said.
Jacques is the man of the house, serving as male role model for our orphan children.
Over the course of an interview, Jacques told me the following:
“Here in Haiti, parents think that once they tell the children not to do something, the children must obey. But often the children disobey – because the parents themselves are not doing what they are asking.”
Jacques continued:
“It is a typical example of ‘do what I say, not what I do.’ In reality, children do what they watch their parents do, not what the parents advise them to do At Orphans International Haiti, we serve as the parents to the children in our care. We must be able to raise these kids to become productive members of our society – to move themselves and our nation forward.”
Jacques (r.) relaxes with a supporter from America, Tommie Pegues (l.).
“I have observed that they imitate us. I like to read and the children notice that. They, in turn, pick up a book themselves. They begin to read.
I file reports to New York regularly on the computer. As I work electronically, our kids ask me if they, too, can go on-line – to meet the world, to learn new things, to practice reading and writing. They also, of course, like kids in the U.S., want to play electronic games.
“I think the best method to educate these kids – any kids – is to have the parent or houseparents do what they want children to do. The kids will do it without being told anything else.
Jacques Africot at the Cyvadier Plage Hotel, down the road from OI Haiti.
“In general, we don’t leave the TV on in our orphanage home. We make television special – and we gather to watch special programs or a movie – and discuss them afterwards.
“One French movie we watched together recently was Kirikou, about an island village without water. One special little boy in the film was able to bring water to the village. He was magic.
“Our children repeat phrases from the movie endlessly. “Kirikou might be small, but he is bright!” is often heard in our home.
“I know that if I had shown them an inappropriate movie, they would do the same. It is up to me as director to feed their young minds carefully.
Sharing a cup of coffee with Jacques Africot as I interview him for this piece.
“I also like to encourage our kids to do things themselves. Let them try it on their own. Of course, they often fail the first time, but they do not get discouraged and try again.
“Running this project, we are often low on funds – especially given the economy. But I do not give up – I figure out how to make things happen. The children watch my every move. They learn and grow.
Jacques depends on staff like houseparent Faline to set examples for the kids.
“Everyone has their own dream, but I would hope that our children grow up to serve their community. Serving the community while building their own families is the most important thing I think they can do.
“It is my hope that our children will be engineers, teachers, nurses. But if they want to be a beautician or work in construction, it does not matter. What matters is that they know they have an obligation to our society. And they worked to fulfill this obligation.
“I remember Rose Nancy, one of our girls, once asked me what she and her ‘siblings’ needed to give me – what they owed me – for raising them. I told her, “Only be successful in whatever you do!”
“I was trained in Indonesia, working with Tsunami orphans beginning 2005. I saw there was a challenge with how to get the boys to treat the girls fairly.
“Of course, this was a different culture than my own. It was Asian and Moslem – but the commonalities were great.
“The problem was, the girls complained that the boys were teasing them. Does this ever happen in America? I realized we sometimes do not get the reason kids react the way that they do. Why they do something mean-spirited.
“I remember we explained to one teenage boy how to treat the girls. He asked, “So I am not allowed to be friends with – to play with – the girls?” In his mind, his teasing was just playing.
“I explained that sometimes boys’ ways may not match with the girls’ way. I said, when he plays with girls, he needs to play by their rules. To be gentle.
“It reminds me of the dog and cat playing with each other in our home. Sometimes the dog plays too rough. It is his nature. But we are there to intervene when needed.
Jacques Africot (heart T-shirt) with staff and volunteers from around the world.
It amazes me as I travel the world to visit Orphans International projects – in Indonesia, in Sri Lanka – how staff like Jacques bring their wisdom to the children but also how much they learn from them. They give so much, but however hackneyed, they get so much back in return. I know I do.
The mission of Orphans International Worldwide, which began as “Raising Global Leaders,” has now expanded. Today our mission statement has evolved… into “Ending Orphanages Globally.”
The mission of Orphans International Worldwide, which began as “Raising Global Leaders,” has now expanded. Today our mission statement has evolved through ten years of experience coupled with a continued vision into “Ending Orphanages Globally.” An ambitious goal.
This was my announcement at the Orphans International Worldwide Congress IV held at N.Y.U. Medical School in October 2008, featuring some of the best minds in the international field of orphan care, including:
Dr. Donald Hoskins, president of the Board of Directors of Orphans International America, and the cornerstone of our organization;
The Congress’ moderator, Dr. Harriet Katz, who moderated our last panel at the United Nations on Global Warming;
Dr. Sonia Ehrlich Sachs, whose work on the Millennium Village Project I have been following avidly for years;
Dr. Jane Aronson, America’s foremost expert on conditions of adoptive children in the developing world;
Dr. Emmanuel d’Harcourt, from the International Rescue Committee, which outfitted our health clinic in Indonesia after the 2004 Tsunami;
Both Dr. Richard Alderslade, Chief Executive of the Children’s High Level Group; and Corinne Woods, HIV/AIDS Section of UNICEF
Dear friend and mentor, Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary, famed singer and social activist.
The Congress had several eye opening panels, including “Challenges of Child Survival in Africa,” “Life in the Orphanage: How Children Are Affected by Institutionalization,” “Children’s Health in Fragile States: Challenges and Ways Forward,” “Witnessing the Effects of Agent Orange on Vietnamese Children, Three Generations Later,” “Improving Services for Children in Eastern Europe,” and “The Global Challenges of Children with HIV/AIDS.”
The Congress ended with a panel on “Interning at OIW: A Firsthand Perspective.” Our unusual interns become senior interns, then sub-committee chairs, and eventually Advisory Board members. There is a reason for this progression: Satisfaction, not guaranteed, is obtainable through dedication.
In 1998, I began to dedicate my life and our organization to developing a small home alternative to traditional orphanage “warehouses,” where staff rotated in shifts and children had no constant adult to bond with. I fully dedicated myself to this cause when I left Wall Street after the Tsunami of 2004.
My adopted son Mathew — who I met in 1995 when he was ten months old — attended our World Congress at N.Y.U. Medical School — now a teenager and a testimony that we can make a difference to the lives of children in the developing world.
Our children in Haiti and Indonesia, as well as Tanzania and Sri Lanka, are raised according to “Mathew’s Rule” — that we treat the children in our care the way in which we would treat our own children. Since the start — at the end of the last century — we have been “Raising Global Leaders,” and Mathew is as global as they come. Yet much has changed over the last thirteen years since I first met Mathew.
Ten years later, with sixteen million AIDS orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, and with a global economic meltdown bouncing from Indianapolis, Hamburg and Singapore to Indonesia, Haiti and Sri Lanka. My original model needs to be strengthened.
We cannot house all of the children orphaned by disease,disaster and economic collapse. Yet we have come to realize that nearly every orphan in the developing world can be housed through existing homes, through existing families.
I am excited at this moment in time to introduce Family Care — providing the mechanisms needed to house orphans in their own extended families. And to announce an End to Orphanages Globally, by 2050.
The OIW Family Care Model, developed by a team led by Toni Cela, applies the simple concept of “kinship care” — supporting extended family members’ ability to provide temporary or permanent care for orphaned children.
According to the United Nations, UNICEF, and Save the Children:
• The number of orphans worldwide is estimated at 210 million, rapidly increasing due to the AIDS epidemic, natural disasters, low world health standards, immense poverty, and food shortages made worse now by our global financial collapse.
Some countries are more in need than others. Here are three that Orphans International are in: Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, with severe impacts on child health and well-being. Today, 70% of the Haitian population lives on less than $1 per day.
• Daily food insecurity affects 40% of households. One-fourth of all Haitian children suffer from malnutrition.
• In addition, 40% of the population has no access to basic healthcare.
• Per capita health spending — both public and private — averages $21, compared with an average of $281 for all of Latin America.
Indonesia faces even more economic and structural insecurity. A tragic 52% of Indonesians live below the poverty line, on less than $2 per day. The malnutrition rate is 28% for children under the age of five.
• Nearly 25% of the population does not have access to safe drinking water.
• Although nearly 95% of the school age population is enrolled in primary school that number plummets to just over 55% for secondary school enrollment.
Tanzania is ranked one of the world’s poorest countries. Tanzania has one of the lowest rates of secondary school enrollment in the entire world.
• 85% of children are enrolled in primary school; however 20% of these children drop out of primary school before graduation and only 5% go on to secondary school.
• Tanzania’s annual per capital income is $390. With 40% of its people in Tanzania living in chronic food deficit regions due to irregular rainfall. Of children under five years old, 38% are chronically malnourished and 30% of the total population is malnourished.
• Malaria is the leading killer of children in Tanzania. The mortality rate for children under 5 years old is 118 for every 1,000 births. The life expectancy for a child born in Tanzania today is 52 years.
These cold, abstract numbers hide unimaginable misery which only adds to the desperation of orphaned children in the developing world.
Orphans International is open today in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Haiti, and Tanzania, beginning to move children into the homes of their own homes.
We are on the ground and ready to move forward in many other countries stretched across three continents: the Philippines in Asia & the Pacific, Ghana in West Africa, and the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean and South America.
Orphans International Family Care focuses on three primary objectives:
Education — providing for tuition, uniforms, and materials, as well as access to Internet-connected computer labs;
Health Care — providing health clinic services on-site; and
Nutrition — providing food assistance and nutritional education.
Research shows what your heart already knows — that “kinship,” or family-care, results in better social, emotional, educational, and health outcomes for the child‘s well-being than institutional care. At our next Congress, medical, educational, and social professionals will elaborate.
The OI Family Care model, in contrast to institutional orphanages, strengthens the social and emotional network of the child by connecting him or her to family, friends, neighbors, and the community. You will be hearing more from those with doctorates from Columbia, Harvard, and N.Y.U.
Orphans placed in kinship care — in OIW Family Care — are also able to maintain their linguistic, cultural, religious, and family traditions. The Family Care model also offers more security and stability for the child, and usually helps keep the child in their same community and school, requiring less government intervention.
We will save the science of “kinship care” for our next Congress. It is enough to say: these relationships are conduits for the transmission of knowledge and culture. They are essential to successful transition into independent living as an adult.
This is an ambitious goal, yet I believe it is achievable. I dedicate myself and my organization to use these relationship to End Orphanages Globally by 2050.
With the assistance of our supporters — interns, volunteers, committee members or chairs, Board members, staff, or colleagues — we can together end the sorry lot of the world’s “orphan warehouses.” We can give each and every orphaned child back to a family who will raise them as we would raise our own — with hope and dignity and love. We can make a place at the table for all the children of the world.
Originally published in The Huffington Post, June 28, 2009.
