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VOCATIONAL SCHOOL
BY KIMBERLY GBOISROND /STEPHIE MORENCY/THEODORA WOEL
BACKGROUND
Haiti currently faces serious environmental concerns and challenges. According to a USAID report,
“Haiti is suffering from a degree of environmental degradation almost without equal in the entire
world.” The virgin forests that once covered the entire country have now been reduced to 4% of
the total land area. Its mountainous topography has been largely deforested, which in turn has
led to dramatic rates of soil erosion and subsequent declines in agricultural productivity, which
is supposed to be Haitians’ main activity. Problems also include pollution, salination, and lack of
waste management. It has become more crucial than ever for the Haitian people to start caring
about their environment, and education is the most sustainable solution to this environmental
crisis. Education in the form of vocational schools with classes on environmental topics, such as
farming and waste management, will be very beneficial.
As part of Tzu Chi’s ten-year post-recovery plan in the wake of the 2010 earthquake that decimated
Haiti, a vocational school will be built and implemented in the country to empower the local
residents through education and training in technical skills that are necessary for employment.
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