- Miquette Denie, TeacHaiti Founder and Director
Miquette Denie-Founder of TeacHaiti
TeacHaiti was founded by Miquette Denie. Miquette was born into a large, very poor family in St. Michel, Haiti. She spent her early years in St. Michel, but eventually moved with her family to the capital city of Port au Prince. She attended school when her family could afford to pay for the uniforms, transportation and tuition required for school attendance. When the funds ran out, she would work and try to save enough money so that she could return to school.
In the fall of 2000 she was given the opportunity to come to the US as a Rotary Exchange student. She attended a year of high school in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Miquette had learned limited English in Haiti, so the first few months at Detroit Lakes High School were a struggle. The teachers spoke quickly and the subjects were difficult. Miquette studied very intensely that year. As the months went by, her English improved and she began to learn more. By the spring, her confidence had grown and she knew that she wanted to continue her education in the US, with the hopes of becoming a nurse.
She returned to Haiti in the summer of 2001 to secure another student visa. Through much difficult discussion and persuasion at the US Consulate, she was finally granted a student visa that would allow her to return to the US to complete her education.
Miquette returned to the United States and was accepted at Oak Grove Lutheran High School, Fargo, ND where she completed her senior year. She received her high school diploma in May of 2002. She was the first person in her entire family in Haiti to graduate from high school. It was a very proud day for Miquette and her entire family.
Her goal now was to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. She applied and was accepted at Concordia College, Moorhead, MN. She began her college education in the fall of 2002. Miquette had learned a great deal since arriving in the US, but she soon realized that a college curriculum was much more difficult. She knew that she wanted to become a nurse, but the required classes were a serious challenge for someone who had only been in the US for two years. Miquette studied with diligence and determination that only someone coming from extreme third world poverty could understand. She knew that this was her chance for a very different and bright future.
Her determination and diligence proved to be stronger than any fear or shortcomings she may have had. In May of 2006 Miquette graduated from Concordia College with a BA in Nursing. This was indeed a momentous accomplishment for a young woman who had been living in extreme poverty only 6 years earlier. Miquette was acutely aware how the gift of education had totally transformed her life. She would never again be that poor young woman in Haiti trying to survive by selling plantain on the street.
Miquette’s Dream
Following her college graduation, Miquette returned to Detroit Lakes, MN. Her student visa allowed her to work for one year in the US as a nurse, before returning to Haiti. She was employed at St. Mary’s Hospital and Emmanuel Nursing Home. During this time, she began to dream about passing on the gift of education to other poor Haitian children who were struggling to attend school but never had the money to continue. She knew there were bright children in Haiti, just as she was, but without resources, they too would not be able to realize their dreams. She shared this vision with friends, co-workers, Rotarians, churches and community organizations. She received encouragement to pursue the vision.
TeacHaiti is Born
Miquette named the project TeacHaiti. She organized a Board of Directors, registered the name with the State of Minnesota, established a mission statement and began the work of obtaining 501 © 3 status. She started fund raising with the goal of being able to send 10 children to school in Haiti at a cost of $350 per student. The $350 would cover tuition, books, uniforms and one meal a day for each student at school. By the spring of 2007 when it was time for her to return to Haiti, she had raised enough funds to send 41 students to school that fall in Haiti. It was a grand beginning for a very young organization.
After arriving back in Haiti, Miquette formed an Enrollment Committee. They were going to be responsible for interviewing potential students and their families and selecting the students for the upcoming school year. The committee assesses need and academic ability. The TeacHaiti program requires that students maintain a B average. If students require extra academic support, tutors will be found to assist them.
The Board of Directors in Detroit Lakes continued to pursue the 501 © 3 status and made plans for Miquette to visit the following summer. She returned to the US in June of 2008 and shared many stories about the success of the first school year of TeacHaiti. She told about the students’ progress and their grateful parents. Students ranged in age from 5 to over 20. Older students may have had to drop out of school many times, when they no longer could pay the tuition. TeacHaiti gave them the opportunity to return to school and complete their education. As Miquette spoke, she raised funds, with the hopes of adding new students to the TeacHaiti scholarship project.
By the fall of 2008, there were now 105 students supported by the TeacHaiti program. Three college students were also receiving support from TeacHaiti, so that they could realize their dreams of becoming nurses and laboratory technicians. The school year was off to a fantastic beginning.
Hurricanes Strike Haiti
Unfortunately, in August and September of 2008, Haiti was struck by four hurricanes, Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike. Haiti has almost no infrastructure, very few paved roads, no curbs or sewers. When the rains come, they literally wash away everything in their path. As the waters rush down hills and roads, dwellings, people and animals are washed away. This was a devastating time for Miquette, the students and all the people of Haiti.
Over the next few months, additional fund raising efforts were carried out in the US. Financial support was sent to Miquette to help her assist the TeacHaiti students and their families in securing food, clean water and shelter. New books, uniforms and school supplies were purchased to replace those that had washed away.
2009-2010 School Year
Miquette again returned to the US during the summer of 2009 to raise funds for the upcoming school year. She spoke at various churches, schools and service organizations in MN and she also traveled to Texas for an additional fund raising opportunity. The efforts were successful as the number of sponsors grew. By fall there were now 163 sponsored students attending school in Haiti in grades K-12 and 6 fully sponsored college students. It was going to be a very successful school year for TeacHaiti.
Earthquake Hits Haiti
Unfortunately, the feeling of success did not last. On January 12, 2010 Haiti was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that claimed over 250,000 lives in 35 seconds. The capital city, Port au Prince, was devastated. It has been estimated that 1.5 million people were left homeless. Those who did survive were left with no water, shelter or food. Hospitals that were left standing were overwhelmed with injured and dying people. The Haitian Ministry of Education estimated that 3978 schools were damaged or destroyed.
The Board of Directors again launched a massive fund raising effort, forming a separate Earthquake Recovery Fund to try to meet some of the needs of the TeacHaiti students. In the weeks following, the Board would learn that all the TeacHaiti students had survived the initial earthquake and aftershocks. Many however were left without homes, clothing, food and water. Funds were sent to Miquette to help in the relief effort. Most schools never reopened for the remainder of the school year.
Miquette returned to the US in the summer to continue fund raising and telling the story of TeacHaiti and the long term effects of the earthquake. As the Board learned of the loss of so many schools in Haiti, the goal of starting a TeacHaiti school began to be formed. A Capital Campaign was initiated to meet this goal. Fund raising continued throughout the summer.
TeacHaiti School of Hope
Miquette returned to Haiti in July with the support of the Board to open the TeacHaiti School of Hope in Port au Prince. Teachers and staff were hired, books and supplies were purchased. A building was rented and remodeled. Students were selected and the new school opened in October, 2010 with 65 students in grades 1-4. It was a joyous day only nine months after the devastating earthquake that shook Haiti. Students at the School of Hope receive an expanded curriculum that includes English, Art and Health education. Parents are required to volunteer at the school once a week to assist in preparing meals for the students, cleaning or preparing materials for instruction. In this way, parents are involved at the school and participate in their children’s education, fostering ownership and responsibility.
Fund raising for the 2010-2011 school year had been very successful. In addition to the 65 students at TeacHaiti School of Hope, sponsors supported 126 other students placed at various schools throughout Port au Prince and St. Michel. TeacHaiti also sponsored 3 college students this school year.
Miquette again returned to the U.S. during the summer of 2011 to talk about the amazing growth of TeacHaiti, report on the very successful first year of the School of Hope and to do intensive fund raising. She brought beautiful paintings and a variety of jewelry that had been made by the students at the School of Hope in their Saturday Art classes. She traveled to Texas, Minnesota and Ohio.
During the first year of TeacHaiti School of Hope, Miquette received many requests from families in Port au Prince to consider beginning a kindergarten class in addition to the elementary classes already offered at the school. This issue was brought to the Board during the summer and it was decided to expand the focus of the School of Hope to include kindergarten. The Board agreed to rent an additional building to accommodate our growing school, which would include grades K through 5 by the fall of 2011, to hire additional teachers and purchase needed supplies.
The school year began in September in Haiti. The TeacHaiti School of Hope opened with 100 students in grades K through 5 this year. TeacHaiti was also providing educational scholarships to 140 students, including 3 college students, at various schools in Port au Prince and St. Michel. The goal will be to continue to add an additional grade to the School of Hope each year until a complete K through 12 school is achieved.
Capital Campaign
Currently TeacHaiti is renting two buildings in Port au Prince to house our growing School of Hope. We have recently learned that the owner of the latest building that we have rented has decided to put it up for sale. Since it is incredibly overpriced and not well suited to being a school long term, we will not be pursuing a purchase. However, this has caused the Board to realize that we are always at risk of losing our rental buildings and that it would be wise to move toward the purchase of property in Haiti where we could locate a permanent TeacHaiti School of Hope campus. This places a strong focus on the Capital Campaign and raising the necessary funds to acquire the needed property. Once this is accomplished, the Board would look to constructing school buildings. Admittedly, these are lofty goals. However, as we look back over the past 5 years, we are humbled by the immense growth of TeacHaiti, the number of students that we have been able to reach and the generous gifts from our supporters. We are always mindful that we are only able to dream because of your generous support and we constantly strive to be faithful stewards of your gifts.