In 2016, construction was completed on 15 classrooms for Grace Emmanuel School, which had previously been meeting in donated army tents.
In 2021, JiHM fundraised for five improvement projects that will preserve what has been built and continue to improve the quality of education GES can provide.
Thank you to everyone who gave to say “Yes!” to preserving and improving Grace Emmanuel School, building better futures for students like Renia.
COMPLETED PROJECTS
Goal #1–Retaining Wall
Construction of the retaining wall was completed in September 2021, just before students returned for the new school year.
WHY THE WALL? Grace Emmanuel School’s classrooms are built into the side of a mountain that continues to erode during torrential tropical rainfalls. If left unchecked, the weight of the soil could have caused the classroom walls to collapse. This retaining wall will hold back the mountain and preserve the buildings for years to come, as well as create more open air around the classrooms to keep mosquitoes at bay. Estimated cost: $35,000
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Goal #2–Computer Lab & Goal #4–Library
An existing storage room at GES is currently being converted into a computer lab/library. Renovation began in June 2022 and will be completed this summer.
computer lab waiting for tables and computers 
library ready for books 
Lights being installed 
Assembling shelves for library books 
porch enclosed for added security 
ceiling installed 
windows painted 
window bars installed for added security 
fixing window frame after removal of concrete window decoration 
WHY THE COMPUTER LAB? Computer skills are in high demand in Haiti, and GES currently has no computers to provide a hands-on education. In addition, the Haitian government continues to require more research capabilities for accreditation of private high school programs, which GES currently doesn’t meet. This project would purchase 10 desktop computers and equip an existing room with the furnishings, security, climate control, and dust protection necessary to preserve the equipment. Estimated cost: $15,000
WHY THE LIBRARY? The literacy rate in Haiti is 61%. Students at Grace Emmanuel School are taught to read by first grade, but their textbooks are often the only books they have access to. This project would convert an existing storage room into a library and help purchase fiction, non-fiction, and devotional books in Creole, French, Spanish, and English.
Estimated cost: $10,000
REMAINING PROJECTS
Goal 3: Water System
Access to clean water is crucial for basic health, and poor hydration reduces a person’s ability to learn. This project would create an underground system to safely carry water from JiHM’s deep well to the school kitchen, bathrooms, and new water spigots outside each classroom for easy access to fresh water throughout the day. In addition, a robust filtration system would be installed to provide a constant supply of clean and cold drinking water.
Estimated cost: $30,000
Estimated completion: Summer 2022
Goal 5: Chapel Seating
When students gather for chapel on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings or for special events like holiday celebrations and graduations, the only place large enough to hold the student body is Victory Bible Church. The church’s simple wooden benches have fallen into disrepair. Help replace them with comfortable and sturdy seats—both for the benefit of the students and for the church that helped found GES.
Estimated cost: $10,000
Estimated completion: Summer 2022
“GES is a grace God provides. It has changed the lives of my children.”
–Parent of a GES student