EMASE, Ti Haiti (Cite Soleil)

EMASE is a community school in Ti Haiti, Cite Soleil that was rehabilitated by a community effort and which has a vision of a more practical and civic form of education in Haiti. 

EMASE stands for Ecole Mixte Assemblee du St Esprit and is a community school in Ti Haiti, Cite Soleil. It was founded in the 1990s, but the earthquake of the 12th of January, 2010 crushed the school. About 2 years later, the community decided it was time to rehabilitate and re-launch EMASE as a free community school for the children of the community who couldn't afford school.

The community contributed money, and got support from a new government program designed to help schools, and succeeded in repairing EMASE. Given the community's good contacts with Haiti Communitere, they were able to get contributions from HC and its partner Burners Without Borders to give the school a new roof, and other friends of the community contributed to pay for benches built by a local carpenter. The school is now in working condition, and 100 children have already signed up for primary school. The school also serves as a community meeting space, where a youth sports movement called Metanoia hosts weekly meetings on civic education.

The vision is not just to have a free community school, but a model school that tries to give an education that is practical and gives the children a sense of their rights and responsibilities as Haitian. Those principles of community-driven education and development can be instructional and inspirational to other communities; EMASE is looking for guidance, training, and support from groups that have experience in community education.