A Clean New Start at Immaculate Conception School

It is essential for children to have a sanitary washroom and the ability to wash their hands properly at school. The importance of hand hygiene was emphasized by the pandemic and served as a stark reminder that many children in our world lack these basic necessities. Teachers at the Immaculate Conception School in Roseaux, Haiti did their best to encourage regular hand washing, but the school lacked critical infrastructure for proper hand cleaning.

Like its 900 students, this school is full of potential. "We are proud to have this establishment in our community, it serves and will serve the daughters and sons of the area," writes Fr. Jean, the school director. Immaculate Conception's auditorium and toilet block were in poor condition, with the girls' washroom in the worst condition, with no electricity or running water.

The community of Roseaux is served by our Haiti South sponsor site, under the direction of the congregation of Missionnaires de l'Annonciation - Semeurs d'Espoir (Missionaries of the Annunciation - Sowers of Hope). Last summer, they partnered with Chalice to make a splash at Immaculate Conception School.

Through the kindness of Chalice supporters, the Haiti South site team pulled together the workers and materials to build Immaculate Conception a full washroom, complete with showers, toilets, and sinks. A hydraulic pump supplies the water, with a nice coat of paint providing the finishing touch. The Haiti South site also helped them repair their auditorium windows and supplied a fresh coat of paint.

"On behalf of all the sponsored children, on behalf of the other children benefiting from this project, on behalf of the parents ... we thank the staff of Canada [and] the donors," writes Fr. Jean. He adds his gratitude, "Despite the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 disease, you have  thought of us and our precarious situation."

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