Since the spring of 2010, the Students Rebuild team has intimately watched how the January 12 earthquake - and the humanitarian responses it triggered - continues to transform Haiti's students and the nation's education system.
Unable to tell the story of every young person we've encountered, we focused our camera on one student, Diandine Emile - a high school senior - with the hope of painting a broader picture of how student life and learning has changed since that fateful day. We followed Diandine throughout her school year, not only capturing her day in her school's temporary classroom and at home, in one of Port-au-Prince's new 'tent cities', but to also see how her participation in the Students Rebuild: Haiti videoconferences inspired meaningful connections between young people across the globe.
Students at École Elie Dubois prepare for a videoconference with their peers in
the United States, U.K. and Canada.
Students at the Pegasus School in Hunington Beach, CA creatively raise money
and awareness for the Students Rebuild: Haiti challenge.
As a result of face-to-face connections, young people across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. shared their thoughts and responded to the Students Rebuild: Haiti challenge by selflessly answering the call to action: to raise critical awareness and funds to support school rebuilding in Haiti. Lending their friendship, time and, support, students ultimately raised over $650,000 to rebuild safer, stronger, and permanent schools in Haiti for their peers, including Diandine.
Behind the scenes, the Students Rebuild production team had the privilege of learning about perseverance, compassion, and hope through our interaction with the students near and far - whether it is the Haitian students finishing up their school year or American youth creatively raising funds to help rebuild schools. Now, on this second anniversary of the January 12, 2010 earthquake, we are thrilled to share with you Students Rebuild Haiti: A Story of Youth in Action. As you watch this story of students in action, we hope you will be inspired to share it with your peers and use it as a tool to encourage discussion on the ways in which young people can take action on critical global issues.
Now sit back, relax, and see how young people have made a meaningful impact in Haiti!
Students Rebuild: Haiti is an initiative of Architecture for Humanity, the Bezos Family Foundation, and Global Nomads Group. All funds raised by the Haiti challenge directly support Architecture for Humanity's Haiti Schools Initiative.
