Sonje Ayiti Programs

Sonje Ayiti programs are designed by community constituents in a concerted effort where we “listen, assess, educate, re-educate, create, and implement.”  We embrace a participatory approach, striving to foster a self-sufficient community. 

Our activities are prioritized into three focus areas:  Economic Development, Education, and Health Promotion in the North of Haiti. 

Health Promotion

Sonje Ayiti’s Health Promotion programs are focused on education and prevention.  We assist in providing mobile clinics for the community, menstruation and safe sex training for our students, safe infant delivery techniques, and nutrition.

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The economic development program has been implemented in several rural communities.  The primary programs include:

1. Pathway Out of Poverty “Chimen Lavi Miyo (CLM) is an 18 month program to help vulnerable families break free from the vicious cycle of abject poverty and to thrive on their own. Currently, in partnership with FONKOZE, over 500 families have benefited from multifaceted assistance which ranges from personal health care to sanitation at home to running a personal business. There are personal coaches in place to help guide the participants through each part of the journey.
2. Uplifting Mothers to Brighten Children’s Futures: Kore Manman Pou Klere Timoun” is a 16-month intensive coaching program that supports 500 young single mothers who are 18-35 years old. We provide On the Job Training (OJT) on product creation such as detergent, condiments, cosmetics, and soft drinks. The program includes business management training and startup kits to launch their own small enterprises.  We have created 25 Village Savings Loas Associations (VSLAs) that they manage and receive loans out of their own savings to develop and/or reinforce their Income Generating Activities.  There is also weekly coaching just like the CLM program to ensure success.
3. Community Food & Agricultural Programs such as Passing the Gift where goats and chickens are distributed to the most vulnerable families and students, the Seed Bank fund and tools to plant and tend community gardens, chicken coops which are managed by the community members, and technical assistance that is provided to community associations.

For more than 10 years, SAO has been helping students who, after High School, cannot attend university and / or a technical development center to better plan their socio-professional future.  SAO offers these students a 4-year scholarship. The choice of beneficiaries is based on the principles of school performance and economic vulnerability.

 SAO has also built and continues to operate Cima Community School of Hope in the commune of Limonade.  There are 350 students from Pre-School to High School providing all support from teaching materials, books, teacher and administrator salaries, uniforms, 1 hot meal daily, an in-school infirmary, and health insurance.  SAO also provides on-going training for teachers and extra-curricular activities including crafts and painting, sewing class in support of the Positive Periods program, dance club, culinary arts, English and Spanish language classes, and On The Job Training (OJT) Skills.  Objectives for the Cima School of Hope are to: 

• Guarantee all children and youth quality primary and vocational education as a basic human right, access to health care, and protection from all forms of violence and abuse.
• Provide children and youth with an education that goes beyond learning academic subjects to equip them with skills to improve their living conditions.
• Expose them to practical skills that are needed daily in their communities and to new information and communication technologies
• Accompany, train, and support parents in an inclusive education process so that they can and will participate in the educational success of their children.
• Curb the phenomenon of juvenile delinquency and child labor within the locality.
• Reintegrate child workers who have dropped out of school to fish to raise funds for their family.
• Reduce cases of premature and unwanted pregnancy of young girls. 

All funding for the Cima School of Hope comes through sponsorship of students and personal donations.  If you would like to find out more about sponsoring a student for $475 per year, please email us at info@sonej-ayiti.org. 

We have also started a full-time literacy program for CLM members and parents at the school.

Access to health care remains a major challenge in Haiti, and health services are becoming increasingly non-existent. We offered training classes and personal protective equipment to the community during the COVID outbreak.  SAO provides on-going preventative health care training for individuals and families focused on personal care, hygiene, and nutrition, sponsors multiple health clinics for the community each year, and provides linkages to clinics and hospitals.  We also provide health insurance for all of our students, teachers, and administrators at the Cima School of Hope and for the participants of the Pathway out of Poverty CLM program.