This year we had a lot of confusion related to school in Haiti. At the beginning of August, children and youth restarted school; but it is the continuation of the old school year. During the 2019-2020 school year, the children and youth only attended school for a few months because of very unstable situations at the beginning and the Coronavirus at the end.

Right now, many of the children do not have what they need to return to school. Some do not have notebooks or books.  Many don’t have shoes because they used them during the year.  Some are without complete uniforms and backpacks. Not having these items means they cannot go to school, which means they will not pass the school year.

Of course, our return from the States was great news! Our sisters went to work immediately! Sister Inga is busy buying notebooks and shoes — everything she can do to send the children back to school so they can finish the old school year. At the same time, she is thinking about the new school year.

Sister Izajasza is repairing torn pants and shirts so they can survive to the end of the school year that will finish in October for most of the schools. Sister Izajasza’s is also checking our computers to see what survived tropical storm Laura.

The new school year is scheduled to start on November 9. No one knows if this will happen because the teachers continue to strike since they have not been paid.