MFO Foundation
PO Box 3092
Chesapeake, VA 23327-3092
www.mfofoundation.org
Editors: Mary Kwasniewski & Julie Thomas
Graphics: Lauren Lepper
A Return Trip Long Overdue
Hinche, Hati
by Bro Harry Eccles
When I left Haiti in November 2013, I expected to return “soon”, but “soon” stretched to two years! Making the return trip this past November 2015, with Jonathan Dohanich and his seven-year-old son, Jarren, was a big plus. (Jonathan was a volunteer in Haiti for a year, returning often, once with Jarren when he was two!)
At Maison Fortune in Hinche, I caught up with Mary Kwasniewski, Executive Director of the MFOF in Virginia. I just missed another segment of the amorphous US group which had been planning a visit for a long time. Julie Thomas, Susan Schrack, her daughter Margaret Schrack, Emily Burke, and first time visitors David Esposito and Laurie Salerno.
The Haitian welcoming committee was headed by Jean-Louis Lefort, Founder and Director of MFO, and a friend from 1989 when I found my home in Haiti.
A new staff member was Jonel Derosier, an alum of Sant Zaveryen. Bethanie, the guest house cook, was on hand, and so was Noose, the veteran watch-cat.
The icing on the welcome-home cake was the swarm of boys who gathered on the porch with noisy greetings. They surprised me with a chorus of “Share. Share! Don’t be a pig!” That was my theme song when we had goodies to share.
Gatherings on the porch were continuous. The boys had classes, both off and on-campus. Just a short hike to the girls’s campus and more warm welcomes. Veronique Joseph is the director there and walks a beautiful line between discipline and love for our girl’s who numbers continue to grow.
When I lived a MFO, one of my roles was English teacher for informal groups which formed and reformed all the time. I was happy to be invited by the present members, now dignified with the name “Helping Boys Understand.” I was glad that I had brought some fresh copies of the New Testament, our basic text.
Returning to the States with Mary, Jonathan, and Jarren, I had two portraits of Noose, one on paper by Oday and another on stone by Junior Michel.
Time to start planning the next trip. This trip was a blessing!
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The Haiti Tree at St. Therese
Last autumn a newly formed Haiti committee at The Church of St. Therese, Chesapeake, VA decided to try a different approach to our annual Advent fundraiser for Maison Fortune’ Orphanage. Parishioners were offered several different ways to contribute. Since a steady income is needed by the orphanage, monthly sponsorships were encouraged. Students from Portsmouth Catholic Regional School created lovely ceramic star and heart ornaments that were used at as a “thank you” for anyone signing up for a sponsorship. The ceramic ornaments were also given to anyone making a donation of $25 or more. Sponsors and larger donors also received a handmade paper ornament with a picture of one of the children of Maison Fortuné.
Parishioners were encouraged to help decorate the “Haiti Tree” by placing colorful Haitian straw angels on the tree to reflect their donations.
Church members making a smaller donation wrote their name on a small heart which was then attached to the front of a small ($5) or large ($10) angel. The tree was displayed throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons.
Our Haiti tree donations quadrupled from the previous Advent. Much of that increase is attributed to the wonderful verbal support given from our church’s pastor, Fr. Kevin O’Brien. At each of the three Masses, over two weekends, he discussed the foundation’s efforts to improve the nutrition, education and medical care of the children resulting in increasing costs at the orphanage.
There was a wonderful flyer and video created by graphic art students from Regent University. The flyers were placed in the church bulletin in the weeks before the fundraiser and the video ran on the screen in the Commons. There were also many volunteers manning the tables before and after each Mass. We are hopeful we can repeat our success next year.
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McKenna BioScience Program Opens at the
University of Notre Dame Hinche
The fall of 2015 was an exciting time for our longtime partner the McKenna Technical Institute as they opened up the first Bio Science program in Haiti. They did so in partnership with the University of Notre Dame Hinche. Maison Fortune is pleased to have 8 MFO alumni enrolled in this first time 2 year-program.
The students will receive hands-on laboratory training and develop the skills necessary to work in the bioscience industry. The school is outfitted with a fully equipped Bioscience Lab where students apply critical thinking in data analysis including the interpretation of experimental results.
We are extremely grateful for the partnership with McKenna Technical and their commitment to help assist with the cost of tuition for our MFO alumni. Together with our MFOF supporters we believe that the power of education can transform Haiti and its future.
Visit Website
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Our boys grow up!
If you are anything like me, on January 1st you asked yourself what happened to 2015?! The time has flown by and the same rings true for our boys in Haiti. This year we are helping transition several of our older boys into the community. Many of them have been at MFO for the greater part of our 15 years of operating and wow how they have grown!
Over the past year Jean Louis has been working with the “young adults” and preparing them for this new transition. He has held meetings with the boys over the past several months and we have laid out the plans and expectations as they start this new chapter in their lives. To aid them in their success we will continue to pay their school tuition and school expenses. Additionally they will be allowed to visit the campus between the hours of “dawn to dusk” and take their meals at MFO. We will also provide them a small stipend for lodging and transport that they arrange for themselves. The stipend is dependent upon their school attendance as well as grades and good leadership behavior. We hope that by assisting in the transition the boys will have the best chance of success. The list of boys who are participating in the “18-and-over” program are:
| Name | Age |
| Alcidonis Shelton | 20 |
| Bastia Hary | 19 |
| Cambron Walno | 22 |
| Charles Delince | 30 |
| Charles Johnny | 24 |
| Denis Louis Jean | 19 |
| Dorcius Frido | 24 |
| Edouard Jeanty | 19 |
| Etienne Waldo | 26 |
| Innocent Robenson | 22 |
| Jacques Kesly | 19 |
| Jean Exilien | 24 |
| Jean Louis Claudinel | 21 |
| Joseph Jimmy | 20 |
| Name | Age |
| Joseph Missam | 23 |
| Louis Adler | 33 |
| Louis Robert | 21 |
| Matial Salens | 19 |
| Noel Djocena | 22 |
| Noel Elibert | 19 |
| Philogene Kedner | 20 |
| Regulus Emane | 25 |
| Saintil Exxone | 26 |
| Simeon Sufrance | 22 |
| Sylvanor Fedner | 25 |
| Sylvanor Ulrick | 23 |
| Sylverin Wosnel | 24 |
| Therame Wilson | 27 |
As these young men reach out to our MFOF supporters and visitors we hope you can encourage them to keep a positive outlook. They have had numerous opportunities most Haitians would never have dreamed.
Our hope continues to be that as they mature they realize that the power of giving back is far more rewarding than the power of receiving. We know that these young men are the future of Haiti and they will work to make Haiti a better country for all.
If you have any questions about the program please contact us directly at helpthechildren@mfofoundation.org.
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Maison Fortuné Orphanage Foundation Financial Update
Rick Martin, Treasurer
As I write this, we are halfway through the financial year and I think it is important to give our donors a financial update. During this past summer and fall the Maison Fortuné Orphanage Foundation went through our annual audit by an independent auditor. We are thankful to Mrs. Randi Clifford of Clifford Accounting Services, LLC who performed the audit. We are proud to announce we received a clean bill of financial health! In fact we have received clean annual audits for the past ten years. Auditing allows us to check our work and to show you, the donors, that we are using your generous donations in the best way possible to support the children of Maison Fortuné. I especially want to thank Mary Kwasniewski, our Executive Director, and Edna Nweke, our bookkeeper for their help in keeping the daily books and preparing the needed information to complete the audit. Both Mary and Edna do a great job keeping me straight with our payroll, taxes and monthly reports. The audit reports can be downloaded from our website, www.mfofoundation.org.
This year we are continuing our quest to reach out to new donors to establish an individual donor base of 1500 people donating at a minimum goal of $25 per month. Though we are making some progress moving toward that 1500 number, it is well below what we need to provide for the monthly operating requirements. So, if you can donate monthly, please do so.
You can help us by introducing MFO to your friends, community and workplace. Please contact Mary Kwasniewski at mkwas@mfofoundation.org for more information on how to spread the word.With your continuous support the Foundation impacts more than 200 children who are living in the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Together we can change the cycle of poverty one child at a time. Thanks to all of you for your generosity and continued prayers.
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Meet Valentin!
A sweet new girl. She is so new her school uniform has not been made yet. She enjoys her rice and beans with the other children for the mid-day meal at Jean Louis Primary School on the Boys’ Campus. Valentin loves school, jump rope and singing!
To sponsor a child contact Julie at sponsorship@mfofoundation.org
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