Education

Tierney-Tobin Memorial Scholarships

Founded in 1997, Program Supports 150 Students

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Due to lack of public schools and extreme poverty, only 60 percent of Haitian children go to school. Of that number, only about one-fifth attend the few government-funded schools. All others must find private schools, which charge tuitions and require uniforms for attendance.

Most parents do not have the means to pay private tuitions for their children, yet they understand the value of education and realize it is likely the best way out of poverty. So, many families make tremendous sacrifices to send their children to school; they go without meals, work at whatever jobs they can find and in live meager conditions to save money. Even with these sacrifices, most cannot afford the 14 consecutive years of schooling necessary for a high school diploma in Haiti. Only about 5 percent of the children who start school will finish.

At Haitian Ministries, we know that sponsoring a child's education is an investment with tremendous returns and one that helps a child become an independent adult with the skills to eventually work and support his or her family. Education provides hope for the future of Haiti.

In the Tierney-Tobin Memorial Scholarship Program, we are sending almost 150 children and young adults to school for the 2008-09 academic year. The program is based on both need and merit.

Under terms of the program, we commit to support each student for at least five years if she/he works hard and does well. We also intend to support the student beyond the initial five years until high school graduation. (In fact, the program includes students who have gone beyond high school and are now in technical schools, universities and medical schools.)

For each student, Haitian Ministries has a sponsor--a donor who is an individual, a school, a church, or another group--that has agreed to the terms of the scholarship program. Each sponsor receives a yearly update on the student.

What the Tierney-Tobin program provides:

Tuition: We cover all enrollment fees and monthly payments.
Books: We loan the necessary books to students for all of their classes. At the end of each year, students return the books for use by others.
Student/Parent Administrative Support: We follow students carefully to make sure they keep up with their courses and meet our grade requirements. We ask that students keep above-average grades, and we will remove children who cannot maintain these standards. We also meet regularly with parents to encourage them to take an active role in supporting their children's studies--helping with homework and reading with them if they are able.

How You Can Make a Difference

You can choose to sponsor a student with a five-year pledge, or you can make a one-time gift to the program. One-time donations enable us to purchase necessary supplies, such as books, and to meet unexpected expenses, such as emergency medical treatment for students in the program. All gifts are deeply appreciated!

The costs of sponsoring students are as follows:

$425 US to sponsor a primary school student for one year of a five-year pledge. (This would be a total of $1,850 in payments that could be made monthly, quarterly, annually, or at one time.)
$520 US to sponsor a secondary school student for one year of a five-year pledge. (This would be a total of $2,250 in payments that could be made monthly, quarterly, annually, or at one time.)
$800 US to sponsor for a technical school student for one year (for a one- to three-year pledge). The total various, depending on the duration of the technical education.

If you cannot sponsor the full education of a child, you can donate directly to the scholarship program for any amount. We welcome any and all support!

A Doctor Gives Back

Wilkens Gilbert is a former Tierney-Tobin scholarship recipient who went to medical school and is now a doctor practicing in Haiti. He hopes one day to open a clinic in the Port-au-Prince neighborhood where he grew up and where his mother, Madame Samson, runs a meal program for children. (That food program is also supported by Haitian Ministries.)

Currently, there is only one doctor for every 10,000 Haitians.

If you are interested in supporting the Tierney-Tobin Memorial Scholarship Program, please click here to download the donor form. (THE RATES ON THE FORM ARE FROM LAST YEAR. THE NEW RATES ARE: $425 for a primary school student and $520 for a secondary student.) For more information, please contact Kyn Tolson by email: kyn@haitianministries.org, or by calling: 860.638.1018 or 860.848.2237 ext. 206.)