by Chiara Bombieri-Morales
The Sow a Seed Foundation, based in Haiti, is a volunteer-based organization that works with struggling orphanages in Haiti, assisting them with food, shelter, education and healthcare. On our recent trip to Haiti, Sow a Seed organized a holiday event called “Santas Wonderland” for 500 orphans from 10 different orphanages all around Port au Prince. “Spread the Joy” challenge raised funds for underserved children and orphans in Haiti to provide them with a fun-filled holiday season. The day was filled with events held at an activity center, including Santa’s workshop and toy shop, a gingerbread house, live entertainment, music and dance workshop, playland and Santa’s forest.
When we were told about this event we thought it was a perfect opportunity to launch our Children for Children Haiti Project. As part of the Empowering Children Initiative, Urban Zen has collaborated with the children of the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City to make hand-crafted gifts such as haky sacks, knitted balls and knitted frisbees to be given to the children in Haiti. During our time at the Sow a Seed event we were able to partner with one of the ten orphanages, Timkatec, and work with the children to create gifts for the children in New York and exchange gifts. The underlying idea is to create and expand an artistic cultural exchange program with children in Haiti with children in the U.S
The moment you entered the Union School, where the event was taking place, it was as if you were transported to a North Pole. The entire school was decorated with Christmas decorations, presents under the Christmas tree and a gingerbread house that was full of candy. As the children began to slowly trickle in their faces would light up at the site of the wonderland. The children were then guided to the crafts station which was full of tables where the kids could make all sorts of things. The Urban Zen tables were set up with a beading, sock puppet making, drawing and painting and origami.
For the first part of the day we worked with the 97 children from the Timkatec orphanage and shelter. The children did a rotation around each table so they all had a chance to make something different. At one of the painting tables the children were given Haitian chachas (which are like maracas) to be painted and exchanged for the presents that were made by the children in New York. After the children painted their chachas we took a picture with the chacha and the gift they choose so that the kids in New York can connect with each individual child.
At lunchtime all 500 kids were gathered under a gigantic tent to eat lunch. After the lunch the children continued with crafts, dancing and singing. The day ended with a performance by a well-known Haitian artist and the distribution of Christmas gifts.
To see the joy on every child’s face was priceless and to multiply that by 500 was even more extraordinary.
Related posts:
- The Children for Children Haiti Project
- The Children for Children Haiti Project: Holiday Greetings
- Celebrating Children through Art Education
- Nourishing Our Children
- FOOD SOLUTIONS: Changing the Palate of America’s Children
