Paula Prince, Program Assistant, July 11th 2011
On Saturday July 9, 2011 the Hope for Haiti house was in a cooking frenzy. Seven young women prepared the final dishes that would serve as a test of the culinary expertise that they’ve acquired over the past 19 weeks in Hope for Haiti’s cooking school. As onions were chopped, batter was mixed, and eggs were cracked, the young women fried, baked and boiled into existence some of the many recipes that they have spent long hours memorizing. The young ladies, ranging in age from 15 to 26 years old, prepared a wonderful spread of dishes ranging from Rotisserie Chicken and Rice au Gratin to Christmas cake.
 Wendie-Alie’s Certificate of Completion |
The Hope for Haiti cooking school, which began in 2009 with an initiative by Carmene Alverbe, Hope for Haiti’s House Coordinator and extraordinary chef, has served as a wonderful way for young women and men to acquire superior culinary skills that can enable them to provide nutritious meals for their families and find employment in one of Les Cayes’ many restaurants. Some of the numerous talents that students gain include proper food preparation and presentation techniques, learning about balanced nutrition, and developing the savvy planning required to use local products on a precise budget.
One of the students, Wendie Alie, enrolled in the weekly Saturday cooking classes after her mother, the director of ‘Paradis des Enfants’ Kindergarten in Les Cayes, had successfully completed the course. Witnessing the valuable skills that her mother had attained, 17 year-old Wendie decided to join the class and graduated on Saturday with a wealth of culinary knowledge. When asked to reflect on her experience in the cooking class, Wendie explained, “It is a beautiful thing to be a woman who knows how to cook. With Hope for Haiti I believe that I have succeeded in a part of my life because I love to cook.”
As the evening came to a close, the young women changed out of their Hope for Haiti aprons into their finest dresses and shoes for the awarding of certificates, which served as the official recognition of their culinary accomplishments. The real reward for their work, however, will come in the form of the practical opportunities that will exist for them in the future. Whether they go on to better nourish their families and children, work in a restaurant, or even start a business of their own, the seeds of knowledge that were planted over the past 19 weeks will continue to positively impact the seven young women, their families, and the community of Les Cayes as a whole.
 Student, Roseline Chery, with some of the students’ delicious dishes |
 Program Director, Patrick Eucalitto, giving certificate of completion to student Wendie-Alie |
 Carmene Alverbe with her students behind their amazing spread of dishes |