Haïti has a population of more than 8 million. 2 million live in the capital Port-au-Prince. Another million in foreign countries. Haïti is so beautiful, so marvellous but so badly organised ! Haïti is a country where the daily wages normally do not exceed 1 $US, where unemployment is chronic, where the misery and the poverty touch deeply the heart and mind, and where life expectancy is about 52 years. Haïti is a country humiliated by the richness and the luxury of powerful nations.

Most Haïtians (95 %) descend from African slaves. They will soon celebrate 200 years of independence (1804-2004). However, thousands and thousands of young people are looking for education in order to be able to build together a more just and human society. This overwhelming reality is reflected in the statistics (1995) about school attendance in Haïti: no schooling 34,6 %, basic reading and writing 2,7 %, primary school level 47,4 %, secondary school level 14,2 %, university level 1,1 %. What a challenge for the De La Salle Brothers!

Today, Haïti is a Sector of French speaking Canada and has about 20 aspirants, 5 postulants, 1 Brother novice (in Colombia), 3 Brothers scholastics (in Guatemala), and 2 student Brothers (in Canada). Involved directly in the Lasallian Educational Mission in Haïti there are 15 Brothers: 8 Brothers from Canada, 3 Brothers from Colombia, 2 Brothers from Haïti, 1 Brother from France and 1 Brother from Vietnam. These 15 Brothers live in 4 communities. Together with many lay people they run 4 primary schools for about 2000 school children, 1 small school for about hundred drop-outs, 1 technical school for about 90 students, 1 Faculty of Religious Sciences and Catechetics which awards diplomas, certificates and master degrees recognised by the La Salle University of Mexico D.F.. A Master degree in Education, in the field of modern languages, may soon be granted through La Salle University, Bogotà. On the Tortuga Island, they run 1 secondary School for about 210 students and several primary schools for about 4000 children. One Haïtian Brother is involved at the local Radio Broadcast where he offers a permanent formation program for his countrymen and women in educational and pastoral fields.

What a wonderful Lasallian Educational Mission ! Who would not like to get involved in it wholeheartedly in order to meet the tremendous need of education for thousands and thousands of Haïtian children and adolescents?