Every school has a mission statement. Ours has a moment.
Years ago, our founder, Miquette, was a student like any other — until she wasn’t. She was kicked out of school over an unpaid balance equivalent to just one U.S. dollar in gourdes. Not a large debt. Not a lack of effort or ability. One dollar stood between her and her seat in the classroom, and it was enough to shut the door.
That moment never left her. It became the reason Teach Haiti exists.
A Mission Built From Experience
Miquette knows firsthand that a child’s education can hinge on an amount of money that, to many, would seem impossibly small. She also knows that the cost of being pushed out of school is not small at all — it can shape the entire trajectory of a child’s life.
That’s why, at Teach Haiti, we do everything we can to keep students enrolled, even when they don’t currently have a one-to-one sponsor. No child should lose their seat in the classroom over a gap in funding they have no control over. We stretch what we have, we make room, and we keep the door open.
But “doing what we can” has limits. Every student without a dedicated sponsor is a gap our general funds have to cover — funds that could otherwise go toward the extracurricular programs that help our students grow beyond the classroom: art, sports, music, mentorship, and more. Sponsorship isn’t just about keeping a single student enrolled. It’s what frees up the resources to help every student at Teach Haiti thrive, year after year.
What Sponsorship Really Protects
When you sponsor a student, you’re not just covering tuition. You’re ensuring:
- A child keeps their seat in the classroom, without interruption, year after year
- Funds are freed up to expand extracurricular opportunities for the whole school
- No student has to experience what Miquette experienced — losing their education over an amount that shouldn’t determine a child’s future
Miquette turned a painful moment into a mission. Every sponsor who steps in helps make sure that mission keeps growing.
Want to know more about the woman behind Teach Haiti? Read Her Book!
Ready to make sure a student never loses their seat? www.teachhaiti.org/sponsor-a-student