Rebuilding the school at the Mère Délia Institution, destroyed by the earthquake.

The project, valued at approximately 724,000 U.S. dollars, enabled the construction, in accordance with best practices, seismic standards, and the guidelines of the Ministry of Public Works and the School Engineering Directorate of the MENFP, of eighteen (18) classrooms, each measuring 50 square meters; an administrative building of 300 square meters; a library of 140 square meters; and an access ramp for people with limited mobility.

For nearly eight (8) years, the Mère Délia institution has been welcoming young girls from, among other places, the disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Delmas and Croix-des-Bouquets. In the aftermath of January 12, most of the school’s classes were held under difficult conditions in makeshift shelters constructed from tarps or in school tents. Inside these tents, the high temperatures around midday caused the students to flee.

Through this project, the MIC Sisters—whose mission is to promote women and foster the holistic development of children, youth, and people from disadvantaged backgrounds—with financial support from their partners, CECI and Development and Peace, will be able to restore an environment conducive to teaching and learning and ensure the return to school of the 850 young girls to whom the congregation is dedicated.

According to Guypsy Michel, Regional Director for the Americas and CECI’s official representative in Haiti: “The construction of this new building is the result of a fruitful collaboration between three (3) institutions working in solidarity to rebuild Haiti’s education sector: CECI, the MIC Sisters, and Development and Peace.” He further expressed the hope that the Mère Délia Institute will break new ground and remain, for the coming century, one of the leading schools contributing to the training of the women leaders that Haiti so desperately needs.