Children's Art for Haiti

In loving memory of Rita Bahr Cari, this project, "Children's Art for Haiti," supports the meals of 3rd grade children at Basil Moreau School and fosters creativity by sharing the beauty and simplicity of their art-work.

Basil Moreau, a k-12 school led by the Congregation of Holy Cross in Haiti, is located in a poor neighborhood of Port au Prince called Carrefour and serves children who are among the poorest in Haiti. Basil Moreau offers neighborhood families a free or heavily subsidized education and provides two meals a day to all students. Many of the children attending Basil Moreau live in the "tent-cities" that border both sides of the school property, a sign of the continued effects of the 2010 earthquake.

In recent years, Basil Moreau has become one of the top performing schools in Haiti. In 2009, Basil Moreau students were recognized for performing higher on the national exams than any other school in the country – an incredible accomplishment given the under-served background of many Basil Moreau students. Less than one year later, in the earthquake of January 2010, Basil Moreau School collapsed. The secondary school was completely destroyed and the primary school building suffered major structural damage.

After 2 years of attending class under tents, and thanks to the generous support from many, the primary school building is now refurbished and structurally safe to continue classes, and a newly constructed, secondary school facility will be completed in December 2012.

The story of Basil Moreau School and the children it serves embodies a spirit of abiding hope, new life, and creativity. "Children's Art for Haiti" celebrates the children of Basil Moreau and the inspired leadership of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Haiti, and remembers the beautiful life of Rita Bahr Cari.