SISTER CITIES ESSEX HAITI RECIPIENT OF SCI 2014 INNOVATION AWARD!!
Sister Cities International selected Sister Cities Essex Haiti as the recipient of their 2014 Innovation Award in Youth & Education for a population of less than 100,000!!!  The award was given for SCEH’s Early Education Teacher Training Project. SCI established the Annual Awards Program in 1962 to bring international recognition to “exceptional sister city programs”.   We are extremely grateful to have received this award.     To learn more about the award, please click here. And to see a video about the Teacher Training Project, click here! 

SISTER CITIES HAS A “HAITI SHELF” AT THE ESSEX LIBRARY
Want to know more about Haiti?  The Essex Library now has a “Haiti Shelf” by the front door. There are fiction and non-fiction books about the history, culture, and people of Haiti. Come check it out!

North Cove Films has made a wonderful film about Sister Cities Essex Haiti!!  The film not only explains what we do, but, more importantly, it provides a sensitive glimpse of the people of Deschapelles, their culture and their spirit.  We invite you to click here to view it.  It is about 20 minutes long.  If you would like the 40-minute version, click here.

In support of the mission of Sister Cities Essex Haiti, we:

(1) actively support Hospital Albert Schweitzer by raising funds for HAS and by informing Connecticut-area residents of its good works;

ODES

(2) work collaboratively with Organization pour Development Economique et Social (ODES), a volunteer group in Deschapelles, Haiti, to identify and pursue projects that are needed or desired in their community; and

Essex Elementary School Read-a-Thon

(3) engage in initiatives in southeastern Connecticut that increase awareness of Haiti and its unique culture.

As of June, seven projects are underway: (1) the creation of a community library in Deschapelles, (2) a musical collaboration among musicians and music lovers in southeastern Connecticut and Deschapelles,  (3) an early education  project, (4) a cross-cultural exchange project, (5) an international book buddies project, (6) a legos project, and (7) a  tennis project.

Sister Cities Essex Haiti was created by residents of the Town of Essex in the Spring of 2010.  It reaches far beyond the borders of Essex, however, with participation by volunteers and board members throughout Connecticut. Residency in the Town of Essex is not a requirement for involvement with SCEH. We welcome any and all volunteers who would like to join us in supporting Hospital Albert Schweitzer and our projects in Haiti.  For more information about the creation of Sister Cities Essex Haiti, click here.

SCEH is a member of Sister Cities International, Inc., an organization formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as a means by which to encourage cultural understanding, economic relationships, and humanitarian projects.

Current Happenings 

Library Update 

Great progress: Construction as of October 15, 2013

Interior of the library-October 15, 2013

We are very pleased to report that construction is well underway on the Deschapelles library.  The architectural drawings are complete, the perimeter wall is largely installed, the well has been dug,  the site has been mapped out, the foundation has been laid, the floor has been poured and the walls are up. We are just waiting for the angle irons to build the roof.  Stay tuned!  This is truly a community effort.  For more information about this exciting development, please click here.

Essex Elementary School Benefit Concert
Essex Elementary School hosted two Movie Nights in May and June 2014 for the Deschapelles library!   Thank you to all Essex Elementary School community for making this such a wonderful event.  We truly appreciate it.

SCEH in the Movies!

An avid reader

A film, “Welcome to Deschapelles, Our Sister City” has been produced by Essex residents Brenda and Logan Floyd.  It is a beautiful and sensitive film introducing the viewer to Deschapelles, its people, its culture and its spirit.  It will be used to inform Essex and surrounding communities about Deschapelles, SCEH, and to raise funds to build a library in Deschapelles. It has been shown several times in our area: at the Essex Town Hall, to the Tri-Club Rotaries of Chester, Deep River and Essex, to the New London Rotaract, to the Mystic Rotary,  St. John’s Episcopal Church in Essex and at several private venues.  For more information about these showings, please click here.  We invite you to come see it.   We know you will enjoy it.  Stay posted to learn about the next showing!