GHESKIO REOPENS PRIMARY SCHOOL AMIDST UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES IN HAITI

GHESKIO's Ecole Prince Albert II de Monaco primary school is one of only 10% of schools that are operating in the Port-au-Prince area

PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI, October 8, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- GHESKIO, a community-based healthcare, research, and training NGO in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is thrilled to announce that its Ecole Prince Albert II de Monaco primary school (pre-k to grade 6) reopened last week. This marks the 15th consecutive year of providing free education to children in the Port-au-Prince area. The school’s theme, PERSEVERANCE, embodies GHESKIO’s unwavering spirit and commitment to providing quality education, healthcare, and hope to vulnerable youth and families who desperately need it.

Ecole Prince Albert II de Monaco, also known as EPAM, is one of only 10% of schools that are operating in the Port-au-Prince area. 919 schools have closed due to gang violence. Over 180,000 school-aged kids (out of more than 600,000 people) are living in displaced persons camps. Another 150,000 students cannot attend any school due to the insecurity throughout the capital and outlying areas.

This academic year, GHESKIO will serve 289 students, 165 girls and 124 boys, and employ 27 teachers for classes of 30-40 students each. A teacher, Florence Jean Louis, said "Education is an opportunity to open the hearts and minds of children to the incredible wonder of the universe. Every child we teach is a person we win. We hope this new academic year will be fruitful and prosperous."

The 2024-2025 curriculum includes Language Arts (Reading, Writing, Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary), Math, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Technology and Computer Skills, Ethics and Values. Extracurricular activities such as soccer and music enable students to express themselves and enjoy school amidst a humanitarian crisis not seen before in Haiti.

In addition to a robust education, EPAM students receive a hot meal, psychosocial support, and free healthcare, including eye and dental checkups.

GHESKIO’s students and staff embody the theme of perseverance. One student said, "I am so happy to go back to school to learn.” – Ruth N., 6th-grade student.

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About GHESKIO:
GHESKIO is a Haitian NGO recognized as a public utility by the Haitian government and is dedicated to the improvement of health care through the provision of clinical care, research, and training activities

For more than 42 years, GHESKIO has served as the technical arm of the MOH, implementing and evaluating models of care for scale-up at the national level. There are two GHESKIO sites - both which serve as national referral centers for HIV and other health care.

GHESKIO has accomplished best-in-class health outcomes despite tremendous civil unrest and insecurity by drawing on its extensive experience in identifying and overcoming barriers to care. GHESKIO has established community relationships and trust and works with the community to identify health needs, design health interventions, and deliver high-quality care.

Scott W Morgan
HAITIAN GLOBAL HEALTH ALLIANCE, INC
+1 973-865-0128
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