Port-au-Prince is a capital city made of iron and concrete; a city that reflects colonisation and slavery and forces Haitians to emulate white people at all costs. It is a major city that bears witness to capitalism and materialism, which separate nature and humanity from each other.

But what about the ‘peyi an dewo’, the inhabitants of the country? 
As their Creole name suggests, they are ‘always outside’ - beyond this capitalist vision. They live in a landscape that the great earthquake did not destroy - not a single tree was uprooted. 
It is the concrete and iron of the capital that have been destroyed and are ‘outside of life’. Just as it did at the time of the independence revolution, the land has once again served as a refuge. 

And what about today?
More and more people are becoming aware of the possibility of a freer life in the countryside; a life without dependence on Western products in the supermarket.
As a result, many abandoned areas are being cultivated again. Today, at the École du Village Cécile Fatima, we are growing more rice, maize, and other foods than ever before, without fertilisers or chemical treatments, in order to provide healthy, local meals for the children and all the adults who work at the school. 

This year, the number of pupils has almost doubled. We have 70 children in the kindergarten and about 80 in the primary and secondary school, which consists of nine classes. And more good news: in June, we opened our new event space as part of the graduation party. It was built on the roof of the school by a dynamic and enthusiastic team.
At the school, there are also new teachers, among them William - a painter and shoemaker from Jacmel. To the great delight of the children, he teaches drawing, painting, and leatherwork with enthusiasm. “Since I started teaching at the École du Village Cécile Fatima,” he says, “I’ve finally come to recognize the value of my work, my culture, and my own personal qualities - thanks to the interest people have shown in me and the joy of the children!”

Pierre has been teaching social sciences at ‘prestigious’ schools in Les Cayes for many years. He has been teaching with us since the beginning of the year. At his first interview, after learning about our teaching methods, he told us: “I was looking for an additional job because I urgently needed a better income at the time. After getting to know you and your teaching methods, I am sure that, if I had been able to, I would have volunteered to help with such a wonderful project in the heart of my community. I regret not coming sooner.”

Many of our new students chose our school because of the variety of courses and subjects on offer. Romilot, one of our former students, said to me one day: “Everything we experienced at this school from the beginning gave me the strength I have today. Since I have been at another school, I have become increasingly aware of how lucky I am to have spent my early years up to the age of 14 at this school. And how much all the activities such as drawing, painting, history, mythology, geometry, theatre, walks, observing plants, minerals and animals created deep bonds between us in the class and school community. No one was looked down on or treated unfairly. My worry is that these days, lots of kids don't get the chance to find themselves, learn, and grow like I did at my school. Given the state of the country and the world, children need this more than ever.” 

Since that day, Romilot, who attends secondary school in Torbeck, has been coming every afternoon to undertake activities with the pupils. They started with a walk by the sea and noticed how much plastic waste was polluting the beaches. Of course, they are all used to it and, sadly, it has almost become normal for them. But Romilot raised their awareness and, together with them, built rubbish bins for the schoolyard from the bottles collected on the beach. He was amazed at the carelessness of people who do not pick up their rubbish. After my intervention, he understood that no one can pass on something they have not received themselves. To our great delight, he declared: “Well, what I was fortunate enough to receive, I will pass on.”

Two of our former students also volunteer to help us with gardening, and the young people at the school take their role as guardians of the grounds to heart, with each and every one of them taking personal responsibility and finding their place in the school. During the summer holidays, the young people supervised and organised the traditional Makaya Camp for the second time. About thirty children took part, many of whom were not our students. This shows that our uniqueness allows us to reach a large number of children who are able to discover something they would not find anywhere else. The seed has been sown, the tree is growing, and our work is already bearing fruit.