A thirteen year old who cannot read is virtually unheard of for most people in America. But in Haiti, that’s a reality for many. According to the United States CIA World Factbook, a little over 50 percent of Haiti’s 15 year old and up population is illiterate.

There’s a shortage of educational supplies, qualified teachers, and access to public education. The majority of schools are international private or church-run schools who more often than not operate near bigger cities than in rural areas, where the need is greatest. However, for one organization, they’re taking their skills and time to the people of Mirebalais in the hopes of advancing education in the community.

“FATEM operates under a very open culture,” said Jacky Poteau, executive director of Foundation of the Technological and Economic Advancement of Mirebalais (FATEM). “Since April 2006, FATEM has worked tirelessly to advance education, information, and economic development in the region, putting the long-term growth of Haiti into Haitians’ hands.”

On Saturday June 22, The Lantana in Randolph, MA will host “Educate to Change”, one of the premier fundraising events of the year, honoring the work of FATEM in the primary education sector in rural Haiti. Dr. James Féthière, President of GRAHN-Canada and GRAHN-Montreal, is the keynote speaker.

All of the founding members of FATEM are originally from Mirebalais, which gave them a certain connection and desire to give something back to the community that nurtured and made them who they are today, Poteau said.
“We chose to intervene in the primary education sector simply because we believe that in order to have a different Haiti in 25 or 30 years, we need to start with the children, as they are Haiti’s leaders of tomorrow,” he said. In the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake, there’s been a growing push for vocational training in Haiti to prepare the masses for the more industrial jobs that are growing in Haiti due to new construction projects and business investments.
“Our hope is that catching the minds early and still young will create the innovators of tomorrow, not just preparing bodies to occupy ‘jobs’,” Poteau said. “Secondary education and vocational training are certainly important for today, and if folks support that notion it understandably reflects the need to employ the masses of unemployed people. We believe it is equally important that some of us focus on addressing the issue of lack of education access for children from rural Haiti.

“FATEM has two main initiatives in Mirebalais that further their educational goals in the country. One is their Teacher Training Academy and the second is their collaboration with University of the People, a nonprofit, tuition-free, online academic institution. The Teacher Training Academy provides professional development to “teachers and principals to improve student proficient in math and science.” The program also offers basic training certificate programs and development seminars to teachers.

“They focus on young people who have a passion to learn, but may not have the means to afford college the traditional way, or even a high-speed Internet connection,” Poteau said of University of the People. “Our collaboration with them has allowed 10 students from the Central Plateau and Lower Artibonite regions to enroll in their programs and pursue their chosen fields of study.”

Tickets can be purchased by visiting, FATEM.org or by mailing a check, made out to “FATEM”, to FATEM, Inc., 1 Centre Street, 3rd Floor, Brockton, MA 02301.