What is a cinder block?
Actual cinder blocks are pretty cool. They used to be made from the cinders which were a waste product of burning coal. In recent years, cinder blocks have been replaced with cement blocks, but it’s still the name we use to talk about a sturdy building material — something that creates a strong foundation for a building that will last a lifetime. Cinder blocks are part of what make the classrooms at The Joseph School a safe-haven for Haitian students.
The Joseph School campus is built on 70 acres of gifted land from the Haitian government. Just a few short years ago, this land was completely empty. Supporters like you are what have made our buildings strong and allowed The Joseph School to grow to over 210 students and 50 employees. Thanks to generous donations, The Joseph School campus now includes two classroom buildings, which house grades 1-6, the campus gate and a garden.
Without the support of so many people over the years, The Joseph School would not be where it is today. However, as the school continues to grow, the need for a larger campus is becoming more clear. In 2021, The Joseph School welcomed it’s first class of seventh grade students, which means the need for a secondary school to house older students is absolutely necessary.
We are thrilled by the great milestones of the campus, but this progress comes at a steep price. After hearing that The Joseph School needed extra help to continue building the campus, the parents of TJS students provided an unexpected gift to the campus!
Parents of TJS wanted to become part of the donor group that is changing the life of students every single day. They got together and made the decision to sacrifice important income for their families to begin purchasing cinder blocks for the next classroom building.
Although the average family in Cabaret lives on $2 daily, along with food scarcity and fuel shortages running rampant through Haiti, many TJS families felt this gift was a key to changing not only their child’s future, but their community and country’s future as well.
After several months, and the majority of TJS families making sacrifices, 11,000 cinder blocks have been purchased. Several families even took it upon themselves to purchase blocks in other family’s names to make sure everyone felt included and part of building their future.
We are immensely grateful for the gift of the cinder blocks TJS families have provided, but there are many more elements needed to complete the new building on campus. That’s where you come in!
This special project is ongoing and still in need of $25,000 to start the next classroom building and equip it with technology and supplies. When you join The Joseph School family in building the next chapter of the Joseph School, your gift has the power to change the life of a Haitian student today. Will you join us? Donate today.