The month of May has been a busy and fun one. We’ve been engaged in events around Jacmel as well as some great happenings at the Foundation.
The beginning of the month started with the eventful celebration of May 1st. This day is a national day of agriculture and is traditionally celebrated with agricultural conventions and planting projects all around the city. Agriculture is a big part of Haiti’s history, since it used to be the biggest producer of sugar in the world, and it’s also a major current problem. Haiti imports over 50% of the food it needs to feed its population. The dollar has strengthened considerably over the last two years causing food prices to rise due to Haiti’s dependence on international sources.
Catherine, out with Franky, Garry, Jeffrey, and Nelson in downtown Jacmel during the agricultural conventions. We bought one of the coconut plants seen to the right!
At the Foundation, we’ve been really excited about our new implementation of mindfulness breathing exercises. In our “Meditation Corner,” which consists of a sitting area with pillows and a chair, mindfulness breathing takes place to help children calm down, feel better, or even just have something to do. The greatest difference breathing has made to date is in dealing with times of difficulty. Children often come to the Foundation with problems from home, get upset in class, or fight with a friend, which leads to poor behavior. Instead of using discipline at these times, we’ve led unhappy children into the office to first calm down, lead them in a couple minutes of breathing, and then talk. We’ve found that this path is markedly more effective in resolving issues than past techniques we used like “time out” and suspensions. We can almost always expect that children will walk away from the Meditation Corner with a smile on their face and a new energy. And most importantly, with a better understanding of what happened and how to cope.
Jeffrey, 7 years old, sitting in our meditation corner as he practices some breathing.
We are not surprised that breathing has been such a helpful tool, but we’ve learned just how important it is when trying to reach children who have experienced trauma. Depending on the level of trauma, children may feel constantly threatened by others. An accidental bump or a “That’s incorrect” can trigger strong emotions, and then a thoughtless reaction is most likely next. Some kids shut down, others cry, and others may cause total disorder for those around them, all of which is lost on them due to short term memory loss during the triggered event. Taking the child out of the situation to a place where they can calm their nervous system helps to gain a sense of control and understanding once again.
From left, Cherizard, Nelson, Crisleidy, and Nana practice some breathing. Throughout the day, children are permitted to come and practice. Nana looks like she was able to relax to the max this day!
Two of our most eager visitors to the Meditation Corner are actually two of our most troubled students, one five years and one six years old. It’s safe to assume that they appreciate the extra attention and comfort. Waldens, the 5 year old, has low confidence and often gets upset in class. We’ve been able to support our teachers by taking him out of class when his behavior disrupts other students, resolve his issues within 5-10 minutes, and then send him back to class with a new perspective. Struggles like this are frequent and we feel more confident than ever in helping children overcome these obstacles. We plan on recording behavioral patterns over time in order to see the impact of mindfulness breathing after 3, 6, and 12 months.
Lastly, as you all know, the wonderful month of May recognizes all the love and work that mothers put in to their families. The JRF celebrated by inviting all of our mothers to a party with food, desserts, songs, poems, and gifts. Each class took turns singing or sharing what they loved about their mother. Perhaps the most thoughtful tribute came from 12-year old, Amos, who said he was grateful to his mother for carrying him in her belly for 9 months and then breastfeeding him for 18!
A sweet moment shared between Milka and her mother, Jeantilia, at the JRF Mother’s Day celebration.
Mothers in Haiti are commonly referred to as the “poto mitan,” which is the center post that holds all the weight. Simply put, mothers are often the backbone of Haitian families, and over 60% of our kids come from single mother households.
As always, thank you for your love and support. None of our work would be possible without you.
Love,
Catherine, David, and all of those at the JRF
