Mercy & Sharing Village
Mercy & Sharing Village at Williamson is a 17-acre tract of land owned by Mercy & Sharing and located approximately 40 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince. The campus includes three residential care buildings (housing 116 orphans), two school buildings, a chapel building with office space, a generator building, a guard tower, security gate with perimeter security walls, and two water wells. We have a 10,000-gallon per day water filtration system that is open to the community daily.
Additions in 2011 to the Williamson campus include the Rehabilitation and Therapy Center and the Technical and Trade School. The Rehabilitation and Therapy Center will enable disabled children and young adults from the orphanage to have the best physical, occupational and speech therapy available. The Technical and Trade School will provide vocational training for young adults in sewing, agriculture, auto mechanics, small business management and computers. This vocational training specifically targets skills needed to find employment in Haiti.
The girls orphanage at Mercy & Sharing Village is called “Lisa’s House” and is named in memory of Lisa Wendel. Mercy & Sharing thanks the Wendel family and friends for their generosity.
Job Creation in Haiti: The Mercy & Sharing
Technical and Trade School
Mercy & Sharing is excited to announce the inauguration of the Technical and Trade School at our Williamson campus. Opening in the fall of 2011, the Mercy & Sharing Technical and Trade School will offer courses in agriculture, auto mechanics, sewing, small business management and hospitality industry training. Employing four instructors, the Technical and Trade School will begin with 50 young adults and, with your help, expand enrollment to 200 students.
The only way to break the cycle of despair in Haiti is to educate children and young adults to provide for themselves. The Technical and Trade School is a two-year accredited program that prepares young adults to earn a living when they turn 18 years old. Mercy & Sharing has researched the local area to determine which skills are in demand and will offer income-producing jobs for graduates.
Small business management will give students the skills they need for the commercial world. Coursework will include basic computer software, Internet usage, fundamental bookkeeping, basic banking, marketing, and other business topics. Food for the Poor has generously donated all of the computers and the kids are already hard at work learning new things!
The agriculture program will emphasize proper land use, farming, erosion control, gardening, and forestry. On-campus projects for students will include developing and maintaining vegetable and fruit gardens, planting and maintaining trees, creating ornamental gardens, and implementing erosion control measures to protect the projects from storm damage.
The sewing curriculum will cover all aspects of sewing, fabric cutting, finishing and embroidery. On-campus projects will include sewing repairs of existing fabric products (including the children’s clothing, linens and student uniforms) as well as new products as needed for the Mercy & Sharing programs. Mercy & Sharing will fill its first order of 1800 uniforms for the Dallas-Haiti Project in the fall of 2012.
The auto mechanics curriculum will include instruction in repairs and engine maintenance such as: brake and tire repairs, changing oil and filters, cleaning carburetors, and flushing radiator systems.
The hotel and hospitality industry is growing due to the influx of international reconstruction and aid organizations operating in Haiti post-earthquake. Mercy & Sharing plans to hire additional teachers to expand the Technical and Trade School to include classes in hotel and hospitality training.
Mercy & Sharing would like to convey a special thanks to Richard Taylor for funding of the first year of the Technical and Trade School. Your donations today will enable us to increase enrollment and expand the job creating programs offered.
Mercy & Sharing Rehabilitation and Therapy Center
There are approximately 400,000 disabled children and young adults in Haiti and only 5% of these children are enrolled in educational or therapy programs. Mercy & Sharing has been working since 1994 to bring about systemic and lasting solutions for this overlooked population. Now we are thrilled to announce a dream come true for Susie and the Mercy & Sharing staff: the construction of a Rehabilitation and Therapy Center.
Mercy & Sharing has been providing physical therapy for handicapped children in one room at the Disabled Orphanage at Williamson. Now, due to a generous grant from the Anschutz Foundation, Mercy & Sharing is building a separate building dedicated to Rehabilitation and Therapy.
The Rehabilitation and Therapy Center will enable disabled children and young adults from the orphanage to have the best physical, occupational and speech therapy available. Equipment and furnishings will be purchased to fit the needs of the children in Mercy & Sharing’s care. New therapists will be employed to provide comprehensive and individualized care. Mercy & Sharing Advisory Board Member, Jeff Swope, is constructing the new building.
With your contributions, Mercy & Sharing can expand the program to include children from the local community who also need therapy.
Update: Rehab and Therapy Center Complete
The Rehabilitation and Therapy Center at Mercy & Sharing Village is complete! Many thanks to Jeff Swope and his construction team as well as gracious thanks to the Anschutz Foundation for construction funding!
Mercy & Sharing cares for over 60 children with disabilities who need Physical and Occupational therapy. Previously, this therapy was conducted in a small room at the orphanage. Now, these disabled children will have the space they need to to learn to walk, play and carry out daily tasks.
Your donations now will help Mercy & Sharing purchase vital therapy equipment and employ Haitian therapists for these precious kids. Thank you!
