Lucienne Deschamps Humanitarian Prize 2013

"It was in order to bring these people and institutions out of the shadows that the Lucienne Deschamps Foundation created the Lucienne Deschamps humanitarian prize in 2010. This prize aims to honor the personalities and institutions who, by their courage, their dedication, their self-sacrifice, help to help and relieve the Haitian community. This evening, for the fourth year, we would like to honor and especially to encourage five institutions which, in their respective fields of activity, get involved in a concrete way to improve living conditions in their community ”, solemnly declared to Karibe, On Friday, November 29, the vice-president of the Lucienne Deschamps Foundation, Chantal Guilliod, in fact, the foundation awarded five recipients: the GHESKIO Centers, the Haitian Amputee Football Association, the Sainte-Trinité music school, Choice school in Mirebalais and community school in Matènwa.

The honored GHESKIO Centers:

As a prelude to the celebration of World AIDS Day, the foundation has set its sights this year on the GHESKIO Centers, among the five recipients. The director of the Lucienne Deschamps Foundation, Jennifer Plantin, presented this famous institution in these terms: “With more than 30 years of experience in the care, research and training on AIDS and tuberculosis, the GHESKIO Centers, recognized around the world, are a source of national pride. In the 1980s, they played an instrumental role in eliminating "Haitian" from the 4H list then attributed to the disease now known as AIDS, thereby restoring dignity to the Haitian people. In 1984, through rigorous scientific research, the GHESKIO Centers identified contaminated transfusions as the main mode of transmission of HIV and agreed with the MSPP to entrust the Haitian Red Cross with the monopoly of blood transfusions for a better control system. The President highlighted the expertise of the GHESKIO Centers which extends far beyond AIDS research to provide comprehensive health services. She underlined the current mission of this institution which prioritizes services such as maternal and child health, adolescent health and protection, nutritional support, education, to name a few. Very touched by these honors, Dr William Pape of the GHESKIO Centers warmly thanked the foundation for this humanitarian prize and took advantage of this ceremony to renew his confidence in his staff and partners, including the Ministry of Public Health, the Merieux Foundation and Cornell University.

The AHFA rewarded

Presenting the Haitian Amputee Football Association (AHFA), the secretary of the foundation's board of directors, Peter Frisch, stressed that the team of these footballers was created following the earthquake of January 12, 2010 "By carrying out demonstration matches, the AHFA educates the Haitian population about the plight of amputees while demonstrating that a full life is possible for people with disabilities. "Speaking in turn, the president of the AHFA, Bruny Pierre Richard, congratulated the Lucienne Deschamps Foundation. For him, the work of the committee is rewarded with this award which is "that of all members: friends, supporters of the association which works voluntarily for the inclusion of people with reduced mobility".

Honored schools

Another recipient: the school of choice in Mirebalais. For journalist Rotchild François Junior, this choice was made because "it is a trilingual basic school founded on four pillars: quality elementary education, leadership, community involvement, communication skills". The School of Choice wants to provide other opportunities for the underprivileged children that it supports for free.

The community school of Matènwa, it was designated according to Frisch, because it presents "an integrated project that systemically encompasses agriculture, nutrition, the environment and education on the island of La Gonâve. ". On the other hand, "she is committed to meeting the specific needs of her community by teaching the first four years of basic school in Creole, the mother tongue. Educational games, reforestation campaigns and a community garden are part of the curriculum of this establishment, ”he said.

Serving the Haitian community for 57 years, the Sainte-Trinité music school, noted Jennifer Plantin, is made up of the famous philharmonic orchestra, three choirs and ten orchestras. It has nearly 2,000 students, 40% of whom benefit from full scholarships and 48% from half-scholarships. Those who have received half a scholarship pay their quota irregularly due to lack of funds. She praised the policy applied by this institution which prioritizes talents and makes quality classical music training accessible to all.