"A Spark of Hope for Peace"

Randolph-Macon College was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the Davis United World College Scholars program. The grant was used to support a Davis Project for Peace that was created by Kethelyne Beauvais '15, Phuong Bui '15, Nana Adwoa Ohenewaa Bamfo '16, and Shuyan Zhan '15. The students traveled to Haiti August 11-16, 2013 to implement their project, "A Spark of Hope for Peace," which stresses the value of education in promoting peace in Haiti.

"The catastrophic earthquake experienced in Haiti in 2010 destroyed many schools," says Beauvais, a biology and French major. "Since that time, much has been done to ensure that children remain in school, and, through our project, we wanted to nurture and build upon the progress that has been made."

The Project
With the help of Haiti Outreach Ministry (HOM), the R-MC team used the Davis grant to sponsor the secondary education of a Haitian student. They also donated 41 French books for a new library in the HOM, and organized a four-day arts-and-crafts summer camp for 11 orphan girls.

"We lived on the HOM's compound and really got involved with the local community life," says R-MC French Professor Jennifer Shotwell, who served as the faculty advisor during the trip. "We participated in church gatherings, spoke with the members of the Église Chrétienne de Terre-Noire Women's Ministry, attended soccer matches, and visited an orphanage for children with special needs."

An Inspiring, Heart-wrenching Experience
Shotwell, who also serves as director of R-MC's Butler Multimedia Learning Center, says the experience was both inspiring and heart-wrenching. While staying in the security and comfort of a mission site, the R-MC group knew there was suffering and tension not far beyond the walls of the compound.

"Everything we saw indicated that Haiti is still in a sort of holding pattern after the earthquake: UN trucks are ever-present; displaced families languish in tent cities; rubble in the streets and remnants of the national cathedral stand as a constant reminder of progress yet to be made," says Shotwell. "After the U.S. and other countries spent billions to 'prop up' a nation that still struggles so much, it's easy for Americans to ask if we should simply turn away from Haiti. The students and I were convinced even during our short time there that the answer is 'no.' We were overwhelmed by the Haitian spirit, the efforts they themselves are making toward reconstruction and self-sufficiency, and their strong desire for the privilege of public education."

Gratitude
For Bamfo, a biology major and religious studies minor, the project was an opportunity to see the world through others' eyes.

"We lived in a Haitian community and can now better understand the problems residents experience every day," she says. "Our project is a step toward the many things we can do to help promote peace in Haiti."

The trip to Haiti was an experience the students will never forget.

"We are grateful to Randolph-Macon and the Davis Foundation for the opportunity to participate in this project," says Beauvais. "We are also very thankful for having the chance to nurture this idea and bring it to fruition. Although Haiti definitely has its struggles, it is also a beautiful country with people full of life, energy, and hope for a brighter future."

The Projects for Peace Program
College students across the country were challenged to design and undertake "Projects for Peace" around the world, thanks to philanthropist Kathryn W. Davis. The 106-year-old Davis launched Projects for Peace on her 100th birthday and has renewed her commitment every year since. In 2013, more than $1.20 million was awarded in $10,000 grants to students submitting the winning proposals for projects.

Undergraduates at 90 partner schools of the Davis United World College Scholars Program, as well as those at International Houses Worldwide, Future Generations, the Graduate Institute in Geneva, and the University of Maine are invited annually to submit plans for Projects for Peace. Winning proposals selected from competitions at all these campuses are funded through Davis' generosity.

Source: Rmc