Lourie Zoranje Community Centre Library!

Lourie Zoranje Community Centre Library opens!

We are thrilled to announce that the library, with a newly painted decorative mural, is now officially open to the Zoranje public. Zoranje community residents can now access books on a range of subjects including photography, social and physical science, biography, sports, and adventure in French, Creole, and English. Dictionaries, encyclopaedias, and a host of children’s books for different ages also line the shelves.

Zoranje School students take advantage of new library at Lourie Zoranje Community Centre

The Lourie Zoranje Community Centre complements the mission of the Ecole Nouvelle Zoranje by providing an additional place for further learning for children and youth in the Zoranje community.

With the Waveplace program, students at the Ecole Nouvelle Zoranje make daily trips to the Community Centre computer lab to acquire basic computer skills and learn computer animation. Now, with the new Community Centre library officially open, students are coming to the Centre for scheduled reading sessions with their teacher.

Students are able to browse the library’s selection and check out books they don’t usually have access to. “The students really enjoy reading books at the library as part of their school schedule,” said librarian Maguene Bony.

English Classes Graduation!

First Session English Classes Graduation

Congratulations to the participants in the first session of English classes at the Lourie Zoranje Community Center! In total, 75 community residents including children and adults graduated from four classes (2 beginning; 1 intermediate; and 1 advanced). Graduation ceremonies were held separately for each class and participants were very proud to accept their certificates in front of their peers and family members.

“On behalf of the Community Center, we want to congratulate you on your hard work and dedication,” said Frantz Merazil, Community Center Activities Coordinator, “and we hope that you will continue with the course to improve your English.” 

Blog training

Blogging Training of Trainers

On May 6^th, 2012, four staff members at the Lourie Zoranje Community Center proudly received certificates for successfully completing the first ever Training of Trainers (ToT) for blogging in Zoranje.

During the three-day seminar, computer teachers Agenord Alain, Alexis Oberjo, and James Vernelus along with sports teacher Billy Raphael learned how to design and build their own blogs. On the final day of the training, all course participants delivered presentations of their blogs while communicating more about themselves and their interests.

Agenord Alain presenting his blog to the course

Alexis Oberjo showing family photos on his blog

James Vernelus describing his interests

The participants are now ready to lead the next Training of Trainers on blogging and open it up to more members in the Zoranje community based on local demand. 

The concept of the training came into being after teachers in Zoranje began using the Zoranje Community Center and School blog (http://zoranjeschool.blogspot.com/) as part of their computer classes at the Lourie Zoranje Community Center. “I wanted to have students use the blog to learn more about what was going on in their own community and to be proud of programs and events taking place in Zoranje," said computer teacher Agenord Alain, "the blog training has enabled me to now make my own blog and to show my students at the Zoranje elementary school how to do so as well.”

From left to right, Alexis Oberjo, James Vernelus, Agenord Alain, and Billy Raphael with their course certificates

Online Research Courses at Zoranje

Students learning how to do online research at Zoranje

7th and 8th graders at the Ecole Nouvelle Zoranje enjoy participating in twice-weekly computer classes at the Lourie Zoranje Community Centre. Apart from acquiring basic computer skills, students also learn how to conduct internet research about various academic subjects.

8th graders Royal Durocher, Jennifer Pierre, Lauzama Christopher, and Jean Wilzer Harents are happy to share an online research assignment they recently completed on invertebrate animals, which you can browse below with
Professor computer Agenord Alain .

LES ANIMAUX INVERTEBRES

Les invertébrés sont des animaux dépourvus de vertèbres ils sont habituellement sans squelettes mais quelques espèces d'animaux sont incluses comme les colobric.

il existe plusieurs types d'animaux invertébré parmi eux il y a: les spongiaires, les gastrotriches, ect......

spongiaires: Elles sont généralement colorées, en jaune ,brun, rose, rouge ,violet, bleu ou vert ,mais elles peuvent aussi  être blanche ou grisâtre .La coloration peut être due a des pigment ,mais aussi a des sels métalliques (de fer par exemple) voire a des algues ou bactéries symbiotes.Les éponges ou spongiaires forment l'organisation la plus simple: ce sont des colonie de cellules  peu différenciées sans agencement fixe .ce sont des animaux qui ne possède pas l’appareil génital ni appareil excréteur .le système nervure est très primitif est dillut.les spongiaires ou les éponges sont des animaux généralement fixés .Elle peuvent avoir un port rampant (forme encroutante ) ou dressé (en coupe en amphore ,en boule ou ramifiée) chez les espèces ramifiées ,les rameaux peuvent se disposer en touffe(formation de ramification dans tous les plants de l’espace) ou sur un seul plant(forme en éventail ex:janthella) les rameaux peuvent rester isolés, ou s’anastomoser.(ex:clathrina).

Les gastrotriches,ect :ces bilateriens sont recouvert d’une cuticule ornementée mais non chitineuse. Ils présentent un tube digestif rectiligne de la bouche à l’anus, avec pharynx charge de propulser les aliments vers l’intestin. Quelques espèces possèdent des potonéphridies pour leur excréations.Il n’y a ni système respiratoire ,ni système circulatoire.par contre leurs systèmes nerveux est bien développé avec un système de soies sensorilles-leurs corps est recouverts de cirls vibratiles, notamment autour de la bouche et sur leur face ventrale 2 à 250 appendices à l'arrière assurent leur fixation temporaire sur le végétation ou le fond.ils disposent d'un système à deux glandes: une glande sécrète une substance adhésive alors que l'autre permet la déconnexion du support.

Preparer par le groupe C de la 8em année Fondamental(ENZ)… Royal durocher, Jennifer Pierre,LauzamaChristopher,Jean Wilzer Harens 

Jean .W.Harents et les autres eleves

P.Jennifer et les autres eleves

 

Thank You to The French American School of Miami

Thank You to The French American School of Miami

We would like to thank The French American School of Miami for their generous fundraising efforts on behalf of Kindergarten students in Zoranje. Two thousand six hundred dollars raised by the school’s students went toward books, crayons, pencils, playdough, a small bed, and sheets for the Zoranje Kindergarten. We are also appreciative of their continued efforts to raise funds to plant trees in the Zoranje schoolyard, which is currently lacking in greenery and shade.

Please check out these links to The French American School of Miami blog for more information:

Link 1, Link 2, Link 3

Festival Kap 2012!

Festival Kap

2012 champion Adolphe Gespére

On April 8^th, 2012, the community of Zoranje was proud to hold its second annual Kite Festival. In 2011, ProDev initiated and sponsored the first annual kite festival and decided this year to hand over management of the festival to the Zoranje community and community center staff. Like the festival in 2011, 2012 was also a resounding success.  

With a crowd of over 200 enthusiastic spectators, 27 contestants from the community engaged in a heated battle for the top three prizes, which ProDev provided: a refrigerator, stove, and stereo boom box. The panel of four judges selected the three winners based on several criteria: kite design, originality, use of local materials, and height of flight.

First place went to Adolphe Gespére (in photo above) who took home a refrigerator, second to Toussaint Evens (stove), and third to Danger Junéo (radio). The first to register for the competition, Adolphe was ecstatic to be crowned the winner and take home a refrigerator: “I am very happy to win because I worked very hard to become the champion.”

During the prize-giving ceremony at the newly built Community Center, Mr. Henock Paul, President of the Zoranje Association ARVRZ and judge on the panel, added to the crowd of onlookers: “Adolphe was the first to sign up, and with hard work and dedication, he earned first prize. We need to follow his example and know that with the same commitment and work ethic we can succeed as well.”

With this message in mind, the community looks forward to next year’s third annual festival in 2013.

Judges interview participants about their kites

Fotokonbit

Fotokonbit, a partner of ProDev, is a non-profit organization made up of a group of photographers, educators, and artists. Fotokonbit’s mission is to empower Haitians to represent themselves and tell their own stories through photography, and to inspire hope through creative expression. Fotokonbit also provides a platform for Haitians to engage in the rebuilding of Haiti by serving as authors of an important cultural document and archive. Fotokonbit workshop participants are using cameras to imagine a new Haiti by representing themselves, their lives, interests, and values. The result is radically different from the portrayal of Haiti by the media.

The Fotokonbit class started November 21^st, 2011, and takes place once a week for two hours. Each class begins with 45 minutes of in-class instruction followed by field-based photography in the participants’ own community.

You can follow Fotokonbit on its website: www.fotokonbit.org

Dental clinic

From March 19 to 21^st, 2012, over 80 people from the Zoranje community visited the three-day mobile dental clinic held at the Zoranje Community Center. Depending on their needs, community members received cleaning, extraction, fillings (restoration), or partial dentures for a small fee.

The community was very happy with the dental work. “They did a great job”, said Dudley, who after undergoing extraction and restoration for four cavities, is feeling much better and eating pain-free.

The clinic was organized by ProDev and the dental work was carried out by a team of 12 American dentists, dental students and assistants in collaboration with local translators. This is the second year the team has provided this service in Zoranje and it plans to continue the clinic in the future.

News from Zoranje!

You may be interested to hear about several exciting developments in the community.

First and foremost, the recently opened Centre Communautaire Zoranje is up and running with a range of social, cultural, and educational activities. Situated adjacent to the Zoranje school, the community center complements the school’s mission by providing an additional place for social interaction and further learning for children, youth, and adults throughout the Zoranje community.

The center includes:

·         Voila cellular phone store

·         Cybercafé

·         Computer lab in which community members of all ages can enroll in computer and English courses

·         Library and education center

·         Two study and activity rooms and a community meeting room

o   Local youth groups are using these spaces to organize youth leadership activities and public performances for the community

·         Mother-Child clinic will open in April 2012 and will be operated by Partners in Health (PIH)

Prodev is collaborating with community residents to identify and prioritize new activities according to their needs and wishes. The community has expressed a desire for all kinds of activities including vocational trainings, languages, computers, sports, and arts.

A few recent highlights from current activities are described below.

Computer Class Graduation

We want to congratulate the graduating class of the Waveplace Zoranje. In the six week course, 20 students aged eight to 17 learned how to perform basic functions using the internet and Microsoft Word. They also learned how to design their own stories using the computer program ETOYS. During the graduation ceremony on March 2, 2012, students delivered presentations of their stories to their peers and family members. The graduating class also showed their family members how to use the computer programs that they had learned in the course. The students were taught by a team of four local professors from the community—Agenord Alain, Alexis Oberjo, Maeva Pierre, and James Vernelus—and earned a certificate for their participation and successful completion of the course. They hope to continue to improve their computer skills in future courses.

Conversational English Classes

In response to overwhelming demand from the community, conversational English classes will start next week for adult and youth community members. Registration this weekend saw an enthusiastic turnout of 74 people.  

The courses will be offered at three different levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. At each level, courses will aim to provide community members with the tools to understand English grammar, augment their vocabulary, and effectively communicate in various settings, particularly in the workplace. The classes will emphasize a high level of peer-to-peer engagement and integrate music, games, and story-telling.

Sports Development Program

Lastly, we want to bring your attention to the ongoing hard work and success of the Zoranje sports development and training program which includes soccer and basketball. The community currently boasts a men’s (aged 18 to 20) and a girl’s basketball team (aged 16 to 18) and four soccer teams: men’s, secondary-school men’s (aged 15 to 18), primary school men’s (aged 10 to 14), and girls (aged 10 to 18). The teams are coached by local trainers Frantz Merazil and Billy Rafael. Through daily practice and weekend matches against visiting teams, the coaches aim to impart life skills such as work ethic, discipline, punctuality, and positive communication. The program also provides the technical training and conditioning to enable some players to reach higher levels of the game. The impacts of the program are apparent in the strong sense of team unity, dedication, and camaraderie among players. 

Recently, the youth teams received uniforms and soccer cleats thanks to the generous donations of the Afya Foundation and the Pacifica United Soccer Club from Pacifica, California. Special thanks to Frank Walley, Field Administrator, and Jen and Guy who made the delivery of the uniforms. Because of the large number of enthusiastic youth soccer players in the community, equipment and apparel are always greatly appreciated.

Training for the Ecole Nouvell Zoranje Security staff

Security Staff from the Ecole Nouvelle Zoranje and the Zoranje Community Center received a one day security training to better educate them on good security practices and self defense.  The training began with 45 minutes of lecture and covered topics such as physical security, psychological security, community engagement, patrol tactics, and conflict avoidance.  This was followed by three hours of self defense training, incorporating basic Krav Maga and techniques specific to security guards.  This was a terrific opportunity for the security team to become better acquainted with one another, and also gave them the confidence to be better prepared mentally for their day to day job."

We would like to say a special Thanks to Haiti Communitere for providing the facilities for the training.

This year Santa came to visit...Christmas 2012

Christmas was a huge celebration this year at Zoranje. Thanks to the great contribution Happy Hearts foundation and some other friends sent the children from the village.
We managed to collect a grand total of 1300 gifts !!! can you imagine the excitement?
The people in the community were very happy they will be able to give the children presents for the holidays and to show their appriciation they organised a Christmas party with songs dance and SANTA at the community center.
It was a real joy!! Children in their best cloths gathered at the community center and enjoyed the performances. Thank you happy hearts foundation and all the people who think about the children and want to provide for them when its possible, thank you for your involvement and your efforts.