Paula Prince, Program Assistant, June 8th 2011
Last Wednesday Hope for Haiti visited Tiami Primary School with the University of Scranton’s International Service Program. When the day began we were uncertain if we would be able to make the hour-long hike to the rural community because of the torrential rains that had fallen the night before. Haiti is currently in its rainy season and has been experiencing some unrelenting downpours. Luckily, we awoke in the morning to clear skies and were able to stick to schedule.
Once embarking on the small, bumpy, dirt road that leads to Tiami’s trail, our truck got stuck in inches of thick mud and our hiking distance was extended. Despite this minor setback, our group started up the muddy mountainous trail with much enthusiasm. Everyone appreciated the scenic views of both lush jungle and crystal blue coast from atop the mountain.
 Tiami Primary school |
 The beautiful view from atop the mountain trail to Tiami |
 Hope for Haiti and University of Scranton pose for a picture on the trail to Tiami |
When we arrived in Tiami we were happy to find that, despite the rain and difficult conditions, around 30 students were present in the tiny two-room chapel that is used as a schoolhouse. The differences are striking between Tiami Primary and some of the larger, more urban schools supported by Hope for Haiti’s Education Program. With only two professors, Tiami’s teaching staff must work tirelessly to provide a quality education to the nearly 70 students that attend the school. Without a clean water source or a school lunch program, the students of Tiami are highly unlikely to receive nourishment throughout the day.
After an interesting conversation with the parents of some of Tiami’s students seated beneath the shade of a towering mango tree, we went inside to talk with the students and teachers. Our group was pleasantly surprised at the enthusiasm and dedication of Tiami’s staff, despite the school’s large obstacles. Hope for Haiti’s support for extremely rural mountainous schools such as Tiami plays a vital role in ensuring that students in remote areas have access to an education. As one of the primary components of Hope for Haiti’s education program, teacher salary subsidies help rural communities such as Tiami maintain a steady and dedicated teaching staff.
As the day finished with a slippery hike down the mountain, the Hope for Haiti staff and University of Scranton students departed reflecting on life in Tiami. Taking the same long and treacherous mountain route that the villagers must take to go to the market or that students must take in order to attend secondary school, we were able to appreciate the hard work and motivation that are the crux of daily life in Tiami.