Opportunities for Transformation:There are numerous opportunities for change to occur in the communities of Grand-Goave, Haiti. The following are the initial and long-term stages of what it will take to bring about community transformation while working alongside the people and furthering the ministries of Lafana Institute of Hope.
Wells
Medical Clinic Development
Church Building
Trade School Expansion
Micro Finance
Health/ Hygiene & HIV/ AIDS Training
Agricultural Training & Community Gardening
Medical Team Clinics
Building Family Homes
Primary School
Student Education
Children's Care Village
Feeding Program
Sports Camps
Annual Activities:These regular community transformation initiatives help battle malnutrition, deal with HIV and AIDS, and injects small amounts of capital into the local economy.
Wells ($6500 / Water well)- The need for clean drinking water is the highest priority and the greatest need in the community. Women and children from the surrounding area typically will walk around 5 km two or three times a day. Drilling for a clean source of water typically reduces disease in rural communities by over 50%. The community of Grand-Goave would benefit from at least 10 more water wells.
Food Distribution ($2000 /month)- The church engages in a food distribution to members of its congregation and the community, which occurs once per month and provides-100 families with rice and beans. There is a fine line in distributing food between helping people and creating dependency which helps nobody.
Widow care- full care of widows would cost-$150 /month. For $30-40 /month a widow can receive a basket of food items an hygiene supplies.
Home care kits-Provide home care kits to care givers as they go out into the community showing compassion to those who need some help with day-to-day supplies.
Home transformation programs- Provide items for homes that would improve the lifestyle and health of people in the community. This could also include buckets, water filters, propane stove, etc.
Health care kits- Provide home based health care kits to care givers as they go out into the community showing compassion to those with HIV/AIDS.
French/ Creole Bibles ($15 each)-Provide bibles to the local church so that they can effective in evangelism.
Community Education-Provide education and aid to the community in the areas of hygiene, cooking clean water, latrines, and sanitation.
Ministry conferences/Seminars ($1,000-$8,000 /event)-Provide a special week or days of meetings for leaders, women, men, youth or children including providing a daily meal or snacks.
Community outreaches and Socials activities ($1000 / event)-special activities done out in the community to share Christ in a practical way including activities such a house to house visitation, street dramas, neighborhood clean-ups, or sports camps. This can include providing alternative social activities for youth like games in an effort of preventing HIV/AIDS (organize soccer, volleyball, bicycle raced athletics).
Computer class laptops ($700- 1500 /laptop)- Provide a laptop and it software to enable the computer class to accommodate its expanding size. Laptops are preferred over desktop because of the erractic supply of electricity.
Carpentry Class Tool ($10-2000 /Item)- Provide tool for the carpentry class to be able to operate. Please visit HAM website to find an updated list of needs.
Residence Building Furnishings ($700-2500 /item)- Provide specific items for the Residence Building. Current needs are a commercial kitchen sink, dishwasher, and freezer, a propane/gas six burner cook top/ grill oven and a water ionization unit for purifying drinking water.
Micro-finance/Agricultural Training-This is being researched for this community and includes the possibility of networking with an organization that specializes in this type aid. The focus would be to start by equipping the students who are completing education at the trade school and then focus on helping those in the community.
Capacity Building &Sponsorship Opportunities: In addition to the community transformation projects, there are also opportunities to partner with us in helping them to build their capacity and help others through sponsorships. The opportunities are vital to the life of this ministry, as no percentage of project dollars goes towards operational expenses.
Pastoral Capacity Building($250 /month)- Help us bring a local pastor on staff who can focus on caring for those in the community. The people in the area are so poor that they barely can bring in $1 US to a service.
Administration Capacity Building ($200 /month)- Help us bring more locals on staff who can focus on the administration and teaching details associated with the ministry to serve the local people.
Pastors and Leaders Supplemental Support- ($50-100 /month)- It is the goal of us to help provide for the wages of their pastors, leaders, and workers, since they are giving all of their time and energy to serve us. For as little as $60 a month, you can help support a pastor and his family and give them the possibility to provide for their families food, clothing, and schooling. (2 of 5 are currently sponsored.)
Missionaries ($30-300 /month)-Our long-term volunteers and missionaries are generally required to raise their own financial support of $300 /month. For as little as $30 /month you can help us to help those that are serving with us for longer than one year, we like to help alleviate that burden by helping them to raise these funds so that they can be more focused in serving in their area of expertise..
Student Education Fund ($35/month)-For the youth of Haiti, go to school is a privilege, not a right. Many young people find difficult to go to school, because of the economic situation of the country and the lack of finances to pay for their school fees and supplies. You can help end a young person to school through our Education Fund, providing enough to also pay for books and supplies and sometimes covering the costs of transportation.
Material aid:Donating resources is a tremendous way to help LAFANA carry out their vision. LAFANA has an ongoing list of supplies and needs that they collect for the school and living facility that is available on the website. There is also possibility to send items directly to LAFANA through alternate shipping methods, which are available upon request. The opportunity also exists to send a letter or small gift at any time as part of sponsorship of a student or for any other reason. Teams: In order to build relationship with the people of Fauche and Grand-Goave and for churches and groups to be personally involved in the work of Lafana Institute of Hope, team travel is greatly encouraged and welcomed. Medical teams, and groups with team members who have specialized trade skills will be able to help the community and students of Lafana. Possible ministry activities can include training seminars, clinics, food distributions and teaching through the technical school. It is not advisable to send teams during the months of July and August as the ministry partner is on annual furlough, and it should be noted that August to November is hurricane season which does not limit travel, but can hinder it occasionally. Please Contact us if you are interested in bringing a team to Haiti. Volunteers: Long-term volunteer teachers are vital to the beginning and development of trade school classes. The intent of each class and program is to develop national teachers while teaching a class of nationals so that after a period of approximately 2 years of international help the program will be self-sufficient and national-teacher based. Teachers are needed in the existing class areas of English (beginner to advanced classes), computer/information technology, carpentry, and textiles. New trades areas, which require full program development, are: automotive mechanical, electrical, agricultural, and welding/ fabrication. Other opportunities are also available for long-term or short internship and help in a variety of areas. Promotional volunteers are also needed to continue to build the network of Lafana prayer and financial supporters in the USA and Canada. A Volunteer Info page will be posted soon. Please check back or you may contact us Financial Contributions:. PayPal- We accept Visa and MasterCard donations online for general donations. Click on the link to the right of the page. Please make checks payable to Lafana Institute of Hope Or contact us lafanainstituteofhope@gmail.com or call us at 240 832-5385