This annual
report concerns the period of September-December 2015 of the Stichting
Studiehulp Kay-Kok, the Foundation that has been established in September 2015.
Since we want to present how we came at that point as well, we will describe
also the ‘pre-history’ that has lead us
to establish the Stichting Studiehulp Kay-Kok. Previous history
In 2013,
Nickenson St Firmin, an resident of the village Kay-Kok on the Haitian island
of Ile a Vache asked Reinhilde van der Kroef whether she was prepared to help
with the establishment of vocational training for young people of the village.
After having answered this question positively, a year of orientation followed.
What would make sense? To establish school on the island turned out to be a
(financially and organizationally) too high target. And besides, on the main
island of Haiti in the town of Les Cayes were amply adequate educational
institutes available.
First steps
Once this was clear we[1]
decided to continue by focusing on raising money with the aim to enable
vocational training on the mainland in Les Cayes of at most 10 young people
from Kay-Kok during a five years period.
This choice, however, entailed that the students should be accommodated in Les Cayes and that they should be sustained to provide for their subsistence. Daily up-and-down travel from the island to Les Cayes is not an option, since the taxi boats of Ile a Vache arrive too late in the city to be at school on time. On the island, most people live with their families, where their board and lodging is also provided for. Living in Les Cayes means that rooms have to be rented for those who have no family to stay with. In addition, food must be purchased in town, and that's expensive. These circumstances therefore imply considerable extra costs.
This choice, however, entailed that the students should be accommodated in Les Cayes and that they should be sustained to provide for their subsistence. Daily up-and-down travel from the island to Les Cayes is not an option, since the taxi boats of Ile a Vache arrive too late in the city to be at school on time. On the island, most people live with their families, where their board and lodging is also provided for. Living in Les Cayes means that rooms have to be rented for those who have no family to stay with. In addition, food must be purchased in town, and that's expensive. These circumstances therefore imply considerable extra costs.
Governmental project as perspective
The (meanwhile former) Haitian government demonstrated to be working to sustain
the development of tourism on the island of Ile a Vache. The project aimed to
develop small-scale ecotourism on the island. This and its spin off effects in
our opinion created a context for graduates to return to their island in the
future to find or to create jobs .
With this in mind we mainly concentrated on vocational oriented training in the technical, administrative and tourism sectors. Possibly vocational training in the care sector could result in professionals that are needed to reinforce the islands social infrastructure.
With this in mind we mainly concentrated on vocational oriented training in the technical, administrative and tourism sectors. Possibly vocational training in the care sector could result in professionals that are needed to reinforce the islands social infrastructure.
The Kay Kok Foundation
Meanwhile we contacted a representative of the board of the Kay Kok Foundation,
a charity fund based in the United States. This foundation had ten years of
experience with various projects in Kay Kok, ranging from the establishment of
a primary school and a small medical dispensary to a garbage-collection
project. An arrangement was made that our project would act as a working group
of this foundation.
This option was elected initially because it seemed to offer a cheaper solution to obtain some kind of legal status than the creation of a new foundation. Secondly, the Kay Kok Foundation had much experience with projects in Ile a Vache, of which we hoped to gain profit.
This option was elected initially because it seemed to offer a cheaper solution to obtain some kind of legal status than the creation of a new foundation. Secondly, the Kay Kok Foundation had much experience with projects in Ile a Vache, of which we hoped to gain profit.
On the spot representative of the project
In order to have
an executive representative on the spot we started, when we revisited the
island in 2014 to train Nickenson St firmin on the computer (a donation) that
we brought with us for him from the Netherlands. In this way he was able to
perform the basic project administration and to keep in touch with us regularly
via email. Later we helped him open his own bank account at the BNC Bank in Les
Cayes and with online banking facilities, enabling the whole financial
settlement of the project now to run through this bank account.
We also found a few willing people in our immediate environment to pay Nickenson St firmin a monthly allowance offering him the financial room to work for our project. The costs of this part are being kept entirely outside the project.
Thus equipped Nickenson started selecting suitable schools, collecting information on required time and costs of the courses, and requirements for admission of the various courses and information on costs and prices of rental rooms and houses.
We also found a few willing people in our immediate environment to pay Nickenson St firmin a monthly allowance offering him the financial room to work for our project. The costs of this part are being kept entirely outside the project.
Thus equipped Nickenson started selecting suitable schools, collecting information on required time and costs of the courses, and requirements for admission of the various courses and information on costs and prices of rental rooms and houses.
In the
village, he started cautiously publicity about our plans. The aim was to call
young people to attend to the test that we were planning to keep, once it would
be clear that we had collected sufficient funds to make at least three people
to go to school. Nickenson St firmin composed a preliminary list with names and
information of those interested in our program.
Quest for funds
Meanwhile, we tried to uncover the availability of funds for which our project could
apply. One challenge was that Haiti is not included in the group of countries
with which the Netherlands maintains a permanent development relationship. The
main aid activities in the Netherlands to Haiti concerned short term relief
after the earthquake disaster of 2010, but our project does not fall under this
category. The majority of the private developmental funds follow in this
respect the Dutch governmental policy. To be sure that we were really not
eligible we checked the main Dutch charity funds, to uncover that our project indeed
qualifies for none of them; either that though they finance projects in Haiti, they
don’t finance vocational educational, or they fund aid for vocational training,
but not in Haiti. The only fund which did not exclude our specific project in
advance was the Triodos Foundation. So here we applied for funding, but unfortunately
our project was rejected here, mainly due to the fact that this fund had
already other projects running in Haiti.
Once it was clear that we could not rely on grants from the larger developmental funds for our project, we started recruiting private donors in our own environment. For that purpose a website was created http://ileavache.blogspot.com/ , and a second bank account in disuse (in the name of R. van der Kroef) was activated for this purpose (as well as for the related purpose of the payments for our on location representative Nickenson St frimin).
Once it was clear that we could not rely on grants from the larger developmental funds for our project, we started recruiting private donors in our own environment. For that purpose a website was created http://ileavache.blogspot.com/ , and a second bank account in disuse (in the name of R. van der Kroef) was activated for this purpose (as well as for the related purpose of the payments for our on location representative Nickenson St frimin).
Soon, the
first commitments of small donations came in, but decisive was the promise of a
friend for € 2000, - to contribute to the project and from other friends of a
contribution of € 500, possibly to double if the project a would get ANBI
status (recognition by the Dutch tax authority as an official charity
foundation) in the future. Other friends and acquaintances promised to call for donors in their own
networks.
To support this last action, we decided to make the project more personal and to offer donors the opportunity to contribute to (a part of) the study of a specific person (from our preselected group). In this way they could 'adopt' a student. For fundraising in this way, a PowerPoint presentation was made.
To support this last action, we decided to make the project more personal and to offer donors the opportunity to contribute to (a part of) the study of a specific person (from our preselected group). In this way they could 'adopt' a student. For fundraising in this way, a PowerPoint presentation was made.
A thorny issue: estimate the costs
After having
initially estimated that the cost per student at € 2500, - per year, the
investigation on the spot showed that probably 450- € 650, - per person would
be sufficient, depending on whether someone would need a rental room or could
move in with relatives. [2]
The test
Right from the start many residents of Kay Kok had been concerned about whether
the selection of candidates would be fair. For that reason we have kept that
part into our own hands. Together with the representative of the Kay Kok
Foundation, the Canadian physician Lambert Farand, we set up a simple written
test to find out whether the candidates possessed sufficient knowledge and
training in order to start the study. The most suitable candidates from the
test we intended to interview to learn more about their expectations and
motivation.
Initially some 30 candidates were interested to participate. To make sure everybody that was interested knew about the test we plotted an additional call through the village with the result that on the appointed day and time 98 candidates reported to be tested. Therefore there was insufficient place in the classroom where the test was conducted and it appeared that sitting that close together resulted in some ‘cheating'. Therefore, it was necessary not only to interview the best tested, but all the candidates. Lambert Farand has trained our project representative Nickenson St Firmin to perform the interviews. After they did the first twenty candidates together Nickenson St Firmin interviewed the 78 remaining persons independently.
On the basis of the results obtained from these interviews a list could be composed of four categories of candidates:
Initially some 30 candidates were interested to participate. To make sure everybody that was interested knew about the test we plotted an additional call through the village with the result that on the appointed day and time 98 candidates reported to be tested. Therefore there was insufficient place in the classroom where the test was conducted and it appeared that sitting that close together resulted in some ‘cheating'. Therefore, it was necessary not only to interview the best tested, but all the candidates. Lambert Farand has trained our project representative Nickenson St Firmin to perform the interviews. After they did the first twenty candidates together Nickenson St Firmin interviewed the 78 remaining persons independently.
On the basis of the results obtained from these interviews a list could be composed of four categories of candidates:
- the most motivated and suitable candidates were in group A, 25 in total
- Group B consisted of 45 people, from whom or the secondary school (yet) was not completed or who had too little schooling for the study they wanted to follow,
- 8 people were placed in Group C, whose education and vocational choice were (still) less than in Group B in line with each other,
- and about 20, or who lacked the necessary training, and / or who had unrealistic expectations given their abilities were in group D, of who did not come up for the interview.
We decided to focus initially on group A. Of the 25 were 11 candidates were out because they wanted to pursue a academic or other higher level of education[3], which is outside the goals of our project. So that eventually 14 qualified applicants for vocational training remained within the framework of our project.
Go!
When we had
collected around € 3,500 in May 2015, it was time to finally start preparing
for registration at the schools and renting accommodation for the academic year
2015/2016. At that time we thought that we would be able to pay for 6 to 7
students to start their study at Les Cayes. By lot was assigned who were the
lucky ones.
In this way we came to a selection from which two students wanted to attend the training for electrical engineering, one a training as mason, one person’s choice was to become a windows maker, one wanted to study to become a nurse, one training was chosen as a beautician and one training in the tourist and hotel branch.
The ages of the squad range from 20 to 30 years. People are older on average when they graduate in Haiti because they cannot attend school each year due to the lack of money to pay for the school fees, clothing and footwear. The phenomenon therefore occurs that many have an atomistic school career and start at a later age in their professional education. For this reason we have set no age limit for participation in the selection process.
In this way we came to a selection from which two students wanted to attend the training for electrical engineering, one a training as mason, one person’s choice was to become a windows maker, one wanted to study to become a nurse, one training was chosen as a beautician and one training in the tourist and hotel branch.
The ages of the squad range from 20 to 30 years. People are older on average when they graduate in Haiti because they cannot attend school each year due to the lack of money to pay for the school fees, clothing and footwear. The phenomenon therefore occurs that many have an atomistic school career and start at a later age in their professional education. For this reason we have set no age limit for participation in the selection process.
Setbacks
Just when we started in late July 2015 with the registrations at the schools,
we were confronted with some setbacks:
- Our major donor died unexpectedly
- Kay Kok Foundation informed us that it was going to terminate operations
- Unexpected changes in duration and / or study in the educational institutions
The first problem led to an uncertainty about the available funds,
because although our project had received various written commitments from the contributor,
it was not mentioned in the will. This issue was initially addressed by a
financial guarantee from someone else, until in September 2015 it was announced
by the executor of the will that our project could look forward to the promised
amount from the estate of the deceased.
The second problem led to the decision to establish our own foundation in the Netherlands than one anyway. Moreover, we opted for a contribution to our project out of the liquidation of the Kay Kok Foundation.
The third complication consisted of two parts, which surfaced during registration procedure: the nursing education was considerably more expensive than anticipated because the study proved to be not only extended suddenly with one year (from 3 to 4 years), but the fee would also increase each year far more than previously reported, without any certainty about how much that would be (the cost would increase from € 1,200 in the first to approximately € 2,000 in the fourth school year). Our project focuses primarily on training at technical vocational training level (MBO level for Dutch standards). Nursing training on closer inspection turns out to be a bachelors degree and this is (financially and in terms of duration) too much for our project. We have tried to invoke for this student the help of the liquidating Kay Kok Foundation, but because they were in a rush to terminate their finances, this option had also to be abandoned. Moreover, after one year this source would dry up anyway, while we could not get a guarantee for the financing of the remaining three years of study. So we had to advise this student to choose another, cheaper and shorter education. This came out to be the one-year training business administration/secretary. The person who had originally opted for training as a beautician eventually chose this course as well.
Another complication arose with the one-year training 'Tourism and hotel business'. This, too was from the beginning an 'expensive' training (€ 850, - fee as compared to about € 200 for the other courses). But at registering it was found suddenly this course comprised many more charges: mandatory seminars and courses elsewhere (even some abroad), a school uniform and the like (total cost for one year amounting to about € 2000, -). For this student, we also tried to get the Kay Kok Foundation in liquidation as a sponsor. By all sorts of communication problems and misunderstandings and the huge time pressure due to their liquidation, this solution has also failed in this case. Unfortunately we had to disappoint this student altogether.
Concerning these last two experiences, we have concluded that our project can finance exclusively people who want to attend to a vocational training. If we finance others, they will sup a disproportionate share of the available funds. This does not seem reasonable with respect to the other candidates that qualified in group A, who are still waiting for funding of their vocational/technical schooling.
The second problem led to the decision to establish our own foundation in the Netherlands than one anyway. Moreover, we opted for a contribution to our project out of the liquidation of the Kay Kok Foundation.
The third complication consisted of two parts, which surfaced during registration procedure: the nursing education was considerably more expensive than anticipated because the study proved to be not only extended suddenly with one year (from 3 to 4 years), but the fee would also increase each year far more than previously reported, without any certainty about how much that would be (the cost would increase from € 1,200 in the first to approximately € 2,000 in the fourth school year). Our project focuses primarily on training at technical vocational training level (MBO level for Dutch standards). Nursing training on closer inspection turns out to be a bachelors degree and this is (financially and in terms of duration) too much for our project. We have tried to invoke for this student the help of the liquidating Kay Kok Foundation, but because they were in a rush to terminate their finances, this option had also to be abandoned. Moreover, after one year this source would dry up anyway, while we could not get a guarantee for the financing of the remaining three years of study. So we had to advise this student to choose another, cheaper and shorter education. This came out to be the one-year training business administration/secretary. The person who had originally opted for training as a beautician eventually chose this course as well.
Another complication arose with the one-year training 'Tourism and hotel business'. This, too was from the beginning an 'expensive' training (€ 850, - fee as compared to about € 200 for the other courses). But at registering it was found suddenly this course comprised many more charges: mandatory seminars and courses elsewhere (even some abroad), a school uniform and the like (total cost for one year amounting to about € 2000, -). For this student, we also tried to get the Kay Kok Foundation in liquidation as a sponsor. By all sorts of communication problems and misunderstandings and the huge time pressure due to their liquidation, this solution has also failed in this case. Unfortunately we had to disappoint this student altogether.
Concerning these last two experiences, we have concluded that our project can finance exclusively people who want to attend to a vocational training. If we finance others, they will sup a disproportionate share of the available funds. This does not seem reasonable with respect to the other candidates that qualified in group A, who are still waiting for funding of their vocational/technical schooling.
Take-off
And so in September 2015 six young people of
Ile a Vache stood in the starting blocks for their vocational education: two women
and four men, ranging in age from 20 to 30 years. Two went to the two-year
training as an electrician, one began the two-year training as a mason, one
began to become window maker, and two started the one-year training program for
business administration/secretary.
Three of the participants had family in Les Cayes to find lodging. For them, it was agreed that a sum of $ 115, - was offered to their hosts as compensation per person annually. For the remaining three a two rooms place was rented, annual rent $ 1000, -. In addition, there were beds, chairs, a stove and a frying pan to be paid for, while electricity cost $ 10, - monthly. As of October 5 the lease was round and the deposit was made and the students could move into their rooms.
Three of the participants had family in Les Cayes to find lodging. For them, it was agreed that a sum of $ 115, - was offered to their hosts as compensation per person annually. For the remaining three a two rooms place was rented, annual rent $ 1000, -. In addition, there were beds, chairs, a stove and a frying pan to be paid for, while electricity cost $ 10, - monthly. As of October 5 the lease was round and the deposit was made and the students could move into their rooms.
Appointments
Unlike the Dutch situation there will be no
need with this group of students to establish a strict monitoring of their
activities: they will do everything to seize the opportunity offered.
Therefore, it is sufficient to monitor the examination results every semester.
At the time of printing of this annual report was already known that two of the
six students had completed their first half year with average results of 80%
(for Dutch standards, an average 8).
Should it appear at any time that students are not achieving sufficient results or making inadequate progress, they will be offered an opportunity to make their affairs in order in the next semester, and if that does not lead to satisfactory results, the funding will stop.
Of those who obtain their diploma is expected and they are encouraged to seek employment in Ile a Vache (for example in connection to the various projects under the government development plan) and that they will support their successors within our project where necessary and help them after the study to find work on Ile a Vache as well.
Should it appear at any time that students are not achieving sufficient results or making inadequate progress, they will be offered an opportunity to make their affairs in order in the next semester, and if that does not lead to satisfactory results, the funding will stop.
Of those who obtain their diploma is expected and they are encouraged to seek employment in Ile a Vache (for example in connection to the various projects under the government development plan) and that they will support their successors within our project where necessary and help them after the study to find work on Ile a Vache as well.
Establishment Stichting Studiehulp Kay-Kok
As said it
became clear in July 2015 that the Kay Kok Foundation stopped and that we would
have to establish our own foundation in the Netherlands. To this end we had
made contact with Notary IJdema in Franeker. Notary IJdema expressed her
willingness to contribute to our project to pass the Constitution against the
mere notarial charge. This offer was accepted with gratitude and so it was
possible by September 16, 2015 to officially set up the Stichting Studiehulp
Kay-Kok.
The Foundation Board is made up of
Mrs. J. du Bois-Minholts, president
Mrs. L. M. Kuijer, secretary
Mrs. R. van der Kroef, treasurer
The
Foundation aims to raise money to offer young adults from Kay-Kok, Ile a Vache,
Haiti the opportunity to follow vocational training.
By choosing to establish a foundation, we got a formal legal personality, we could be enrolled in the Foundations and Associations Register of the Chamber of Commerce and we were able to open a bank account in the name of the Foundation. The latter was done at the Triodos Bank: NL06TRIO 0391025457. Since December 14, 2015 the Stichting Studiehulp Kay-Kok is banking through this account.
All formalities being settled we could also apply for ANBI status, which will enable donators to our foundation in the future to deduce their contribution for the taxes. The application has at the time of printing of this report been approved of.
By choosing to establish a foundation, we got a formal legal personality, we could be enrolled in the Foundations and Associations Register of the Chamber of Commerce and we were able to open a bank account in the name of the Foundation. The latter was done at the Triodos Bank: NL06TRIO 0391025457. Since December 14, 2015 the Stichting Studiehulp Kay-Kok is banking through this account.
All formalities being settled we could also apply for ANBI status, which will enable donators to our foundation in the future to deduce their contribution for the taxes. The application has at the time of printing of this report been approved of.
Annual Report Stichting Studiehulp Kay-Kok
September - December 2015
Two issues are
central to the activities of the Foundation: to guide as well as possible from
a distance the operations in Haiti, and secondly
at the same time raising sufficient funds again for the academic year 2016-2017
to help some people to attend to vocational training Les Cayes.
The students
Since the project came under the aegis of the Stichting Studiehulp Kay-Kok the
first semester of the schools was completed. The six selected students are now
supported by the Stichting Studiehulp Kay-Kok for their vocational training in
Les Cayes.
In this first semester we encountered a surprise. It turned out that the estimated cost for the subsistence of the students were not calculated per year (as any other cost estimates that we received) but per month. This meant that this entry does not amount to $ 300 per year ($ 50, - per person), but $ 300, - per month! This is a significant shortfall in our budget. To cover these costs for the entire school year there are insufficient funds by late 2015. Our fundraiser in the Netherlands is now busy organizing a fundraising party, and raising additional funds and trying to find new contributors.
It had been suggested that the students, as is customary for Dutch students, partly provide for their own income. Unfortunately, in the Haitian circumstances this is impossible: all side-line jobs as we are used to in the Netherlands (such as dish washing and attendance, postman, supermarket employee) are forgiven to wage-earners in poverty-stricken Haiti. So for part-timers nothing is left. It is therefore impossible to earn even a little money for the students, and that means that they are totally dependent on us for their livelihood.
In this first semester we encountered a surprise. It turned out that the estimated cost for the subsistence of the students were not calculated per year (as any other cost estimates that we received) but per month. This meant that this entry does not amount to $ 300 per year ($ 50, - per person), but $ 300, - per month! This is a significant shortfall in our budget. To cover these costs for the entire school year there are insufficient funds by late 2015. Our fundraiser in the Netherlands is now busy organizing a fundraising party, and raising additional funds and trying to find new contributors.
It had been suggested that the students, as is customary for Dutch students, partly provide for their own income. Unfortunately, in the Haitian circumstances this is impossible: all side-line jobs as we are used to in the Netherlands (such as dish washing and attendance, postman, supermarket employee) are forgiven to wage-earners in poverty-stricken Haiti. So for part-timers nothing is left. It is therefore impossible to earn even a little money for the students, and that means that they are totally dependent on us for their livelihood.
Fundraising
The fundraising
for the first year that our project has been developing favourable, after we
had decided to no further invest energy in the search of funding agencies. We
began with the commitment of € 2000, - and a second pledge of € 500, - which provided
immediately a substantial base under the budget. This amount could be
supplemented by a lot of smaller and larger contributions, so the final amount
that we gathered came out slightly above € 4700, - . All donations came from
individuals, being our personal friends. Some were one-off, other for several
years.
We did not actually collect the money pledged before we were sure that the project could start this year. This caution has meant that the promised € 2,000 - by the sudden death of the contributor came in jeopardy. Luckily this problem was finally settled, but it has taught us that it is wiser to directly collect the money pledged. We will do such as much as possible the following years.
We discovered that personally approaching people and telling them our story is the most effective. We hope that we will succeed in the near future to recruit contributors outside the immediate circle of personal friends. One of the previously developed ideas is to investigate whether we can motivate an action "an island for an island” where schools, companies or associations in the Dutch Wadden islands, under the said motto do donate for their fellow islanders in Ile a Vache or students from the islands to (financially) "adopt" a colleague from Ile a Vache. It is also an opportunity to interest Dutch vocational training facilities(ROC’s) to financially "adopt" a student in Ile a Vache. With these ideas we want to try to raise more funds in the Netherlands in the near future. A third option, which will be implemented in April 2016, is to hold a fundraising party, for which goal the already developed a PowerPoint presentation will be used to introduce the project and the candidates with the public.
We did not actually collect the money pledged before we were sure that the project could start this year. This caution has meant that the promised € 2,000 - by the sudden death of the contributor came in jeopardy. Luckily this problem was finally settled, but it has taught us that it is wiser to directly collect the money pledged. We will do such as much as possible the following years.
We discovered that personally approaching people and telling them our story is the most effective. We hope that we will succeed in the near future to recruit contributors outside the immediate circle of personal friends. One of the previously developed ideas is to investigate whether we can motivate an action "an island for an island” where schools, companies or associations in the Dutch Wadden islands, under the said motto do donate for their fellow islanders in Ile a Vache or students from the islands to (financially) "adopt" a colleague from Ile a Vache. It is also an opportunity to interest Dutch vocational training facilities(ROC’s) to financially "adopt" a student in Ile a Vache. With these ideas we want to try to raise more funds in the Netherlands in the near future. A third option, which will be implemented in April 2016, is to hold a fundraising party, for which goal the already developed a PowerPoint presentation will be used to introduce the project and the candidates with the public.
Trial and error
We had in mind to enter only into commitments for studies for which full funding
was already around at the start of the study. This was the case when we gave
the ‘go’ for the current group of students. However, due to the previously
discussed setback with the cost of livelihood this will not succeed: we have
given priority to help at all events the current students this year. That means
that for the next academic year funding should be found for the three students
from the current group that still need to go through a second year. That means
in addition to the deficit of $ 1,800, - for the current academic year
(2015/16) we are still short of even another $ 3,900, - that must be collected
to allow these three students to complete their studies and to cover overhead
costs.
We discovered in the mean time another fund that might be able to contribute to our foundation, being Femmes de l'Europe, based in Brussels. This fund has filed an application for a contribution towards costs not covered by the budget for the 2015-2016 school year and the commitments (3 students following a two-year training and overhead costs) for the academic year 2016-2017 (approximately € 5000, -). For purposes of this application a policy plan for the academic year 2015-2016 was written.
This application was provisionally put on hold by the fund, as it already has funded a project in Haiti and also because this fund actually pays no tuition. Nevertheless, they informed us that they did not want to reject the application immediately either. Patience is needed here. Furthermore, it is still considered whether it might be better apply for another part of our deficit in the application, so that it should better fit into the objectives of the fund.
We discovered in the mean time another fund that might be able to contribute to our foundation, being Femmes de l'Europe, based in Brussels. This fund has filed an application for a contribution towards costs not covered by the budget for the 2015-2016 school year and the commitments (3 students following a two-year training and overhead costs) for the academic year 2016-2017 (approximately € 5000, -). For purposes of this application a policy plan for the academic year 2015-2016 was written.
This application was provisionally put on hold by the fund, as it already has funded a project in Haiti and also because this fund actually pays no tuition. Nevertheless, they informed us that they did not want to reject the application immediately either. Patience is needed here. Furthermore, it is still considered whether it might be better apply for another part of our deficit in the application, so that it should better fit into the objectives of the fund.
Costs
The first year
on all fronts has been a year of gaining experience. Certainly in terms of the
cost it went not without problems.
It appeared that some educational programs financially and / or in terms of the length of the study were too high a target for our project, so we are now even stricter than before confine ourselves to 1- and 2-year vocational education.
The cost of subsistence appeared 10 times higher than budgeted. This means that the budget for the current academic year shows a deficit of € 1800, - (half of which we can defray by the positive final balance of the bank account by 31-12-2015). And that the budget for the academic year 2016-2017, after deduction of commitments by contributors already made, still shows a gap of € 2,750 with respect to the obligations towards the current three students following a two-year course. If we want to add some new students should this deficit to be increased by € 1,400 per person.
Something that negatively impacted our budget was the fall of the euro against the dollar. We pay in Haiti everything in denomination of US $, and compared to early 2014, when we made our initial design and budget, the euro against the dollar has declined dramatically in value. We had hoped by paying the bills in dollars and counting everything in euro to cover any additional costs of the project, in particular the bank charges. This is no longer the case. Therefore extra money has to be set aside in the budget in the years to come.
It appeared that some educational programs financially and / or in terms of the length of the study were too high a target for our project, so we are now even stricter than before confine ourselves to 1- and 2-year vocational education.
The cost of subsistence appeared 10 times higher than budgeted. This means that the budget for the current academic year shows a deficit of € 1800, - (half of which we can defray by the positive final balance of the bank account by 31-12-2015). And that the budget for the academic year 2016-2017, after deduction of commitments by contributors already made, still shows a gap of € 2,750 with respect to the obligations towards the current three students following a two-year course. If we want to add some new students should this deficit to be increased by € 1,400 per person.
Something that negatively impacted our budget was the fall of the euro against the dollar. We pay in Haiti everything in denomination of US $, and compared to early 2014, when we made our initial design and budget, the euro against the dollar has declined dramatically in value. We had hoped by paying the bills in dollars and counting everything in euro to cover any additional costs of the project, in particular the bank charges. This is no longer the case. Therefore extra money has to be set aside in the budget in the years to come.
Tentative conclusions
Yet the school year has not ended (the school year in Haiti runs from September
to July), and therefore it is precarious to infer already final cost outlines from
the foregoing. Because if one thing is already clear, it will be that nothing
in Haiti is what it seems at first sight. But with the necessary hedges, we can
now conclude that the cost per student approximates US $ 1500, - per year. If
anyone can be accommodated with family that saves $ 200 annually, -.
If a new
round of testing to take place, we will ensure in order to avoid false expectations
that only people participate who want to follow a schooling that fits into our
goals and financial capabilities.
It also became
clear that students for the technical training needed tools. This is not
provided for by the school and the cost varies tremendously per program. We do
our best to find new funds, to get together the money to finance these types of
expenses above the regular ones already mentioned. The advantage of providing
the tools to the students, will be that the graduates immediately have their tools
that allow them to get started in their new profession. This would also enable
them to start their own small independent business or as a handyman. We will
try to apply for a contribution for this specific cost with the Femmes de
l’Europe, while it seems that such a kind of contribution fits better into
their goals than the tuition we asked for at first.
In 2016, we
will visit the island again in person. Then we can hopefully hear and see in
personal contact with the students how they experience to pursue studies in Les
Cayes through our project and what can be improved. One thing at least is
subject to some improvements, the money for living: that's set up at an
absolute minimum. We would be happy to increase from $ 50 to $ 75 per month.
[1] As you can read on our
website, the preparations of the project were performed by Reinhilde van der
Kroef and her partner (whit whom she visited the island of Ile a Vache thrice now) Frits du Bois.
[2] Most of the vocational schooling
cost in 2015 € 207,-- p.p. annually, € 350,-- p.p. annually renting a room/€
150,-- p.p. annual compensation for lodging with family and as far as our
understanding at the moment was annually € 50,-- p.p. subsistence, + 10% unforeseen.
[3] For these 11 people (who are opting
for medicine, agronomics, information technology, engineering and a nursing
education) we try to find solutions to help them attending their favored
education outside the framework of this project.
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