A New Era for Banane: Historic First High School Gains Government RecognitionBANANE, HAITI — For the first time since the founding of this nation in 1804, the children of Banane no longer have to choose between their homes and their futures.The landmark decision of the Haitian government to grant a private school license for the École Fondation Lumière De Banane (EFL) to operate a full K–12 curriculum in Banane was celebrated on March 4, 2026. The presence of a pre-school through secondary levels in Banane is a monumental shift for this remote mountain population of 30,000.Ending the "Educational Dead-end"For generations, the educational opportunity for local youth ended after grade 6. Families faced the heartbreaking choice: cease schooling altogether or endure the staggering financial and emotional cost of sending children to distant major cities.By offering a tuition-free high school degree, EFL is effectively breaking a centuries-old pattern of limited community educational development. Students can now remain with their families while gaining the academic credentials necessary to compete in a global economy.The ceremony proclaimed: “Future high school graduates will be better equipped to bring back their vision and energy, transforming Banane into a model for other Haitian communities."A Decade of Remarkable Growth The school’s official recognition is the culmination of twelve years of steady, community-driven expansion. What began as a humble initiative has blossomed into a cornerstone of regional development centered on a school campus serving hundreds of students. The first high school graduates will complete their studies in 2027.The drive behind EFL is deeply personal for its founder, Pastor Raphael P. Jean. Like many Banane children before him, he left at age 16, to pursue his dream of secondary education in the Dominican Republic.That experience felt like exile to him, in a strange country with a different language. While that journey allowed him to master Spanish and English—a skill he calls the most transformative experience of his life—it also instilled a lifelong mission: to spare the next generation the pain of leaving home to find a classroom."Learning these languages opened the world to me," Pastor Raphael shared. Today, that world has been brought directly to the doorsteps of Banane’s youth.A Global PartnershipThis milestone was achieved through collaborative efforts of many organizations and their international support networks. Beyond the standard Haitian curriculum, the school distinguishes itself by providing English and Spanish as Foreign Languages, positioning its students to lead in a modern, multilingual economy, as part of the world economy.FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO JOIN THE BANANE COLLABORATION VISIT:www.annpreparelavni.org... See MoreSee Less
Today our university team has left Dominican Republic to return home ✈️ On Thursday they took a much needed rest and enjoyed the wonderful beach of Bahia de las Aguilas 🏝️ and on Friday they visited 2 important universities in Santo Domingo: Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD) which is the oldest university of the Americas, and Pontifica Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) which is one of the top Dominican medical schools. As their trip comes to an end, we want to thank every person and group who made this journey a success! 🙏 May God bless you all! ... See MoreSee Less
Wednesday marks another successful day of productivity for our university team! It began with a visit to a local school in Pedernales and 3 classes were taught: hand washing, dental hygiene, and female puberty. That was followed by a local panel consisting of medical personnel and first responders: Red Cross, civil defense, firefighters, national army, police, and public health. Then the team wrapped up by having ice cream in the park and enjoying the island culture. We can’t wait to see what’s coming tomorrow 🚨👮♂️🚓👩⚕️🏥👨🚒🚒👩🏫🚑 ... See MoreSee Less
Tuesday was another great day for the RIT team:They began by going up the mountain to Aguas Negras, where they taught several classes to 290+ students in the local school: CPR/first aid, nutrition, and dental hygiene. Then they headed to Lunch in La Loma for a traditional island meal. After lunch, the team toured the main hospital in Pedernales and also the community clinic. The evening concluded with a local band concert at the park.Stay tuned for the rest of this week 🦷 🤩 ... See MoreSee Less
