Rayjon Sharecare & Dieudonne Batraville
Rayjon Sharecare is an ecumenical organization with members from all over Southwestern Ontario. Its aim is to improve the quality of life for people in developing countries, particularly in Haiti by raising awareness in Canada as well as undertaking development projects in Haiti. Its website is found at rayjon.org.
Rayjon has been most fortunate to have Dieudonne Batraville working as Rayjon's Field Director in Haiti for the past 16 years. In that capacity, she has been the driving force in organizing, planning, leading and implementing a variety of projects to help the Haitian people in the Haut St. Marc area. Many of these activites have been funded with the support of the Canadian Government (CIDA), and of course the funds donated by Rayjon supporters. Dieudonne is a committed and tireless leader, dedicatd to helping the poor and disadvantaged and she has overcome much adversity, including natural disasters and various other problems, to provide excellent programming that is improving the quality of life for people in the region, particularly for children and youth. At this stage, she is now creating a Haitian based organization, to work in partnership with Rayjon and other organizations, reflecting the progress made by the organization under her leadership.
Rayjon in Canada, with CIDA support, is currently funding a system of schools, both elementary and secondary, health services and clinics for people who would otherwise not have access to those services and some commerce initiatives aimed primarily at helping women to support their children. All of these programs and activities are under Dieudonne's direction and leadership on the ground in Haiti. Our CIDA funding for these activities will be completed in December of 2011. Therefore, Rayjon has many important priorities to fund and support in partnership with the Haitian people.
When the earthquake struck on January 12th, on top of all of these activities, Dieudonne was faced with the extraordinary task of providing emergency disaster relief which included providing food, medical suppplies, funerals and emergency shelter for displaced people. We are very proud of the extraordinary efforts of Dieudonne, along with her team in Haiti. In Canada, Rayjon also worked hard to raise funds to support these activities. When Dieudonne established an emergency shelter for displaced persons, with Rayjon's full support, it became quickly apparent that the need was particularly great for children who were displaced as a result of the earthquake. Many of thoe children who were cared for in this temporary shelter were eventually reconnected with family. However, a core of approximately 29 children remained and were without any family or alternative caregivers. They became the children who are living together at Centre Vie. Rather than have the children join other orphanages in the area, Dieudonne and the staff made a decision and a committment to provide long term care for these children and to make the orphanage a permanent rather than temporary program.
Rayjon donors and supporters in Canada have provided financial support for these children and for the Centre Vie, to cover the operating and start up expenses to date, to ensure the children's needs are being met. Rayjon's contribution for the operation of the orphanage has been in the range of $60,000 to date. Several trips have been undertaken by our members to see the progress of the orphanage and the children, along with other activities of Rayjon in Haiti. The staff are doing an excellent job and the children have formed a bond, like a family, and have settled well into routines. The legal status and recognition of the orphanage and Dieudonne's legal guardianship of the children has been accomplished as well.
However, as an organization, Rayjon's mandate is focused on development projects, such as the promotion of health care, education, commerce and agricultural development to promote sustainable results for our Southern partners, particularly for the women and children, the most vulnerable to extreme poverty. The operation of an orphanage long term is not within that mandate. However, many Rayjon supporters may be interested in personally supporting the orphanage and its continued operation.
Debbie Austin
Vice Chairperson,
Rayjon Sharecare Sarnia Inc.
Rayjon has been most fortunate to have Dieudonne Batraville working as Rayjon's Field Director in Haiti for the past 16 years. In that capacity, she has been the driving force in organizing, planning, leading and implementing a variety of projects to help the Haitian people in the Haut St. Marc area. Many of these activites have been funded with the support of the Canadian Government (CIDA), and of course the funds donated by Rayjon supporters. Dieudonne is a committed and tireless leader, dedicatd to helping the poor and disadvantaged and she has overcome much adversity, including natural disasters and various other problems, to provide excellent programming that is improving the quality of life for people in the region, particularly for children and youth. At this stage, she is now creating a Haitian based organization, to work in partnership with Rayjon and other organizations, reflecting the progress made by the organization under her leadership.
Rayjon in Canada, with CIDA support, is currently funding a system of schools, both elementary and secondary, health services and clinics for people who would otherwise not have access to those services and some commerce initiatives aimed primarily at helping women to support their children. All of these programs and activities are under Dieudonne's direction and leadership on the ground in Haiti. Our CIDA funding for these activities will be completed in December of 2011. Therefore, Rayjon has many important priorities to fund and support in partnership with the Haitian people.
When the earthquake struck on January 12th, on top of all of these activities, Dieudonne was faced with the extraordinary task of providing emergency disaster relief which included providing food, medical suppplies, funerals and emergency shelter for displaced people. We are very proud of the extraordinary efforts of Dieudonne, along with her team in Haiti. In Canada, Rayjon also worked hard to raise funds to support these activities. When Dieudonne established an emergency shelter for displaced persons, with Rayjon's full support, it became quickly apparent that the need was particularly great for children who were displaced as a result of the earthquake. Many of thoe children who were cared for in this temporary shelter were eventually reconnected with family. However, a core of approximately 29 children remained and were without any family or alternative caregivers. They became the children who are living together at Centre Vie. Rather than have the children join other orphanages in the area, Dieudonne and the staff made a decision and a committment to provide long term care for these children and to make the orphanage a permanent rather than temporary program.
Rayjon donors and supporters in Canada have provided financial support for these children and for the Centre Vie, to cover the operating and start up expenses to date, to ensure the children's needs are being met. Rayjon's contribution for the operation of the orphanage has been in the range of $60,000 to date. Several trips have been undertaken by our members to see the progress of the orphanage and the children, along with other activities of Rayjon in Haiti. The staff are doing an excellent job and the children have formed a bond, like a family, and have settled well into routines. The legal status and recognition of the orphanage and Dieudonne's legal guardianship of the children has been accomplished as well.
However, as an organization, Rayjon's mandate is focused on development projects, such as the promotion of health care, education, commerce and agricultural development to promote sustainable results for our Southern partners, particularly for the women and children, the most vulnerable to extreme poverty. The operation of an orphanage long term is not within that mandate. However, many Rayjon supporters may be interested in personally supporting the orphanage and its continued operation.
Debbie Austin
Vice Chairperson,
Rayjon Sharecare Sarnia Inc.
