” It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”: [ Eleanor Roosevelt]

 Dear friends:

Words are inadequate to express my gratitude to you.  Once again Fraternite Valleenne had a very successful year. I am humbled by the way your prayers and financial support have made it all possible. Because of you, we met our goals, thank you!

This year we started some projects in La Vallee that we hope   will benefit the entire southeast of Haiti, and who knows..... may be the whole country.

In May 2013, our professional school, “Ecole Technique Frere Andre Guimond” (ETFAG), was inaugurated. This past October, the school opened its doors to about 60 students in two disciplines: Building Construction, Hotel and Catering. The students are very excited about this history making opportunity. We share their excitement, however until the school is able to secure monetary help from the government, Fraternite Valleenne is compelled to assist them financially.

When we started collecting funds for the project in 2006, we suggested to our donors to make a pledge on behalf of anyone they would like to memorialize. Now, we are putting together the commemorative wall display of the contributors and we are still taking pledges on behalf of anyone you would like to remember.

We have expanded our reforestation project to Muzac, Ternier, & Morne a Bruler under the leadership of Mario Dumolas , an agronomist from La Vallee. He is being helped by the members of the local Fraternite Valleenne chapter which consist of Brother Walmyr Dabel(FIC). [Coordinator] ; Mr. Toussaint Payen  [President]; Jean Paul Boursiquot [ Vice-President];   Gilberte Augustin  [Teasurer], Mirlande Benoit [secretary] and many others (see page 19 for more info)...  This project teaches students how to be good stewards of the environment.   

The ESL program we started last year is very popular. With your help we plan to double the number of students we can subsidize in 2014. We are very grateful to Mrs. Betty McCoy from Pennsylvania who volunteered her time & resources to teach the intensive summer program for us this past July.

Moreover, Fraternite Valleenne inaugurated “Sister Josepha Dure’s library this past June at St. Paul school managed by the daughters of Marie (read about the library on page: 18, 20 & 21)

 This year for the first time in LaVallee, we welcomed students from St. Joes Prep of Pennsylvania. We thank the school’s staff, the students and their parents for their partnership. The students of La Vallee who participated in the exchange program are greatly appreciative.  

Fraternite Valleenne counts on its supporters to continue the scholarship program in the secondary school.  We are also embarking on a new mission to start collecting funds to contribute to the construction of a secondary school in Morne a Bruler.

Again, thank you for being such a blessing to Fraternité Valléenne, and the thousands of people whose lives you are helping to change. We hope you take pride in sharing these accomplishments with us. We could not have done it without you!!!!

May the Lord continue to bless you abundantly! Have a safe and peaceful Holiday season

,                Marie Calixte Labbe ;

         FV President
 

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