Graduation ceremony for the literacy students in Destra
Meet our most recent graduates from our literacy program. We are so proud of them for their accomplishment. The whole community came together to celebrate with us. You can see images from the ceremony here.
It is especially important for us to host literacy classes in the rural areas that we work such as Destra. Destra was our very first GOALS Haiti location and it remains our strongest site. It is a remote community that can easily be overlooked due to its location. It is situated about 45 minutes’ drive outside of Léogâne through sugar plantations on a long dirt and rocky road. This small coastal village of approximately 700 people is without running water and electricity. There is no traditional school and the remoteness makes it difficult for the kids to attend schools elsewhere. In fact, many of the schools are about an hour’s walk from Destra and there is no public transportation in the area.
27 kids graduated giving them a foundation in reading, writing and counting. It also gives them a love of learning. Fostering increased participation, improved self confidence and community engagement.
This removes barriers to further education and ultimately improves their future along with their earning potential.
Claudia Exilhomme is a resident of Destra and helps to take care of her nephew Rod. Rod was in the literacy program. He had faced many difficulties in learning. But since being in the literacy program she is seeing his progress. She would like to see the program continue as it is a benefit for the community.