the mission |
gallery |
donate |
newsletters |
timkatec france |
today's date:
"Our experience shows us that these young children are normal children endowed with normal qualities and failings. Let us give them a chance and the means to cultivate these natural gifts while we endeavor to cure some of their failings." Father Joseph Simon of Timkatec Welcome to TIMKATEC.ORG, home of The Friends of Timkatec in America, Timkatec France, and Timkatec, Petion-Ville, Haiti.TIMKATEC, HAITI – OUR FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
March 2009 is a special event for Timkatec, our Haitian mission to educate and train «enfants de rues» the homeless children of Haiti. We learned of the work of Father Simon 5 years ago and my family and I founded the Friends of Timkatec in America.in March 2004. Shortly after that, Florida and Haiti were devastated by the worst hurricanes in decades. Ironically, that sealed our concept and we received great support following the devastating loss of life in Haiti. Father Simon had long planned to try to build a Training School so the kids at Timkatec could learn a trade after they finished Primary education, when they usually left Timkatec. This was the worst of all worlds in some ways, as they now had some education but not enough to be able to work for a living at 12-15 years old. Father had the architectural plans but no funds to build his school (see the Mission page). Our initial plan was just to build the school. With the Friends and CRS matching contributions and with support from All Souls, we reached that goal in December 2004.
I think it is worthwhile to look back at this time, since the idea of The Friends of Timkatec in America was conceived and founded with the intent of financially aiding Father Simon and his Timkatec team assisting the younger, rescued street children of Timkatec 1, as it is now known. These are the children who live at the Timkatec house on Rue Deronencourt in Petion-Ville, and those that attend Primary School under Father' supervision. In 2004 here were 34 children in residence and 40 day children attending but not residing there. Today Timkatec has 45 in residence, "squeezed" in, as you will see in the photo. and 59 day children.
Construction was started in early 2005 against a backdrop of fierce civil strife. Nonetheless, although the schedule slowed, progress continued. Mike and I went down that May to see the early stages of building a and to better understand what we had taken on. We were feted like heroes, a very humbling experience. We also got to meet the CRS staff under Dula James and Sheyla Biambey. We got to know more about the Timkatec team, saw how a little money could achieve so much, and understood the great need. With our family and strong supporters, Mike Spinelli, Tom Moran, All Souls Sanford, Memphis Girl Scout Troop 3 and others,we decided that to fund the total operation of the school including teachers, midday meal, machinery, equipment and supplies.
When it opened, it was literally just cast concrete, floors, ceiling and walls. The building is about 5000 sq. feet, has 2 stories and an additional outbuilding with washrooms and showers. The courtyard was broken rocky ground with a plan to lay bricks for a safe area for students to relax, play ball and use for evening entertainment. Construction was completed in early 2006, and the Grand Opening was September 2006 with one set of morning classes, 60 students enrolled and three trades being taught. That Summer the courtyard was completed and a basketball court installed. On September 2007 the school was added 3 more trades with an afternoon set and 140 total students. The first group of students were awarded their nationally Certified Apprenticeship Certificates in Plumbing and Electrical in June 2008, as 15 graduated. As the photos show the stages of construction you see the building rising, bare but completed, fully operational and then the courtyard and basketball court were added. Throughout we have worked closely with CRS in Haiti and HQ USA ensuring that our funds arrived safely and assisting us when we visited the school. The staff is magnificent and dedicated. Other friends such as Laidlaw have assisted with a refurbished School bus, and Royal Caribbean Cruises shipped it to Haiti. Others have assisted with shipping needed supplies. Shoes and clothing, machinery equipment and tools, many items difficult and expensive in Haiti.
Today we have a beautiful fully equipped facility, with a wonderful dedicated Founder/Director, and full staff who change the lives of over 300 kids who once felt that their family and the world had abandoned them to the cruel streets of Port au Prince, a situation that we in the USA cannot even imagine. The photos tell much of the story, but I also want to share some statistics about Haiti and the USA with you.
No one asks to be born in poor countries. By comparison even in difficult times, our help has an extraordinarily positive impact on our these kids. The education we offer the homeless changes their lives forever, and eventually of their children too. In 2004, Timkatec had one facility with 40 residents and 50 day students; soon 3 Timkatec schools will educate 450 kids whose lives will change forever.
Since 2004, the Friends have raised over $200,000, shipped a renovated school bus and another $10,000 of materials, built a Trade Training School that now has 224 students, staffed it with teachers for 7 different trades, and helped to bring a lifesaving opportunity to hundreds of young people who thought that the world and their families had forsaken them. For them, this is a living miracle. In June 2009, 40 will graduate as skilled tradespeople, versus 15 in 2008 and 60 in 2010. The Friends have funded Timkatec 2, similar groups in Europe fund Timkatec 1 and following our example, a Canadian Group, The Jasmine Foundation, is funding a similar facility, Timkatec 3, for homeless girls, opening shortly. Each mission is to educate kids to support themselves and ultimately a family. Please be generous and donate now to continue this wonderful work. And, if you need further information, have friends who wish to join us, or visit Timkatec, feel free to call me any time. My very best regards Patrick J. O'Shea Newsletters are archived on the Newsletter page. Timkatec France We are very pleased to welcome Timkatec France, a group formed by Sophie Beaupère, in Paris. Sophie has worked in Haiti at an orphanage and also at Timkatec, and on her return to France continues to raise funds for Father Simon.Mme. Beaupère's welcome message: « Bienvenue sur le site de Timkatec. Mon nom est Sophie Beaupère. J'ai travaillé en Haiti dans un orphelinat de 600 enfants (qui avait des moyens) et pour le Père Simon (qui n'en avait pas) ce qui m'a donné envie de l'aider. Pour en savoir plus sur la mission de l'organisation et comment participer à son fonctionnement, merci de vous reporter à la page en français. » The Friends of Timkatec
"It is difficult to refuse a child who comes at night, in the rain, asking for a small place to sleep. In those instances, children sleep on the floor, sometimes with only a blanket, sometimes without even that." Father Joseph Simon of Timkatec. I first became aware of Timkatec through an Orlando Sentinal article in March 2004 stressing the Haiti problems and chaos following the departure from Haiti of former President Aristide. The anguished comments made by Father Joseph Simon regarding the problems he was facing, and his unique mission to feed, clothe, house and educate the abandoned street children of Haiti, deeply touched me and I decided to learn more. After some difficulties I was able to contact Father Joseph and shortly afterwards received photographs, blueprints, and other documents describing his charges, his mission at Timkatec, plan for the trade training concept for Timkatec 2, his bona fides and, most importantly, his vision for the future for his "children". That vision is to take children (some as young as 5 years old) who have been abandoned to the streets of Port au Prince and not only to feed and shelter them, but ultimately to educate and train them in a trade so that they can become self-sustaining proud citizens. (See The Mission and History)
It was clearly a worthy undertaking. One fraught with seemingly impossible problems... yet one that has been sustained by his faith and drive for over a decade. My daughter Tara designed this website which she maintains and we started our efforts which are covered inside in the various News items. In this, we have been most blessed with the unstinting support of our friends Mike Spinelli and Tom Moran and families, CRS-Baltimore and the CRS Haiti staff, and my parish of All Souls, Sanford. That support has to date reached over $130,000, sent to Haiti through CRS with 100% delivered to Timkatec. We now have a new 5000 Square foot school, Timkatec 2 with a team of dedicated teachers and facilities for 200 students. PLUS, an expansion at Timkatec 1 from 34 dormitory places to 50. It is rare to see so much impact on so many lives for such a relatively small investment. In the following pages, you will find more information regarding Timkatec 1 and 2, and its founder Father Joseph Simon, a dedicated (supposedly retired) Salesian priest. I urge you to read more about him and his mission and I am sure that you, like our families will be as deeply touched by his dedication and faith and impressed by his focus on, and the success of, his mission. You will find on the donation page how you also can assist with a tax deductible donation for this worthy cause. We have arranged for 100% of our donations to be forwarded to Father Simon through our partner, Catholic Relief Services. Please feel free to contact me directly for further information. Thank you, Patrick O'Shea "It is fundamental to show children that one loves them and really wants to help them. The rest goes automatically. It is also a work of justice towards these children whose physical, intellectual and moral development is jeopardized by a life without affection, without guidance, without constraint, without obligation. The street cannot educate in any way." Father Joseph Simon of Timkatec.
|
|
