Aidez la bibliotheque du Soleil en Haiti

A Library in Haiti in Need of Your Support

Hello fellow Haitians, friends and colleagues,

I am reaching out to all of you to ask for donations for a library in Haiti that is in dire need of an inverter, which will cost $3000.00 US. We are also seeking donation of books and subscription of Journals and Newspapers in French, Creole, and English.

As many of you know, Haiti has been suffering from political and economic instability for quite some time. Such unstable conditions have not only led to violence and much chaos, it has hindered the systems and institutions of education that have responsibilities to the country's youth and learning communities. My father, who has returned to the country to participate in its development in whatever small way possible, recently opened his own home and sacrificed his privacy to provide the youth of his community with a quiet space to read, write, and conduct research. His goal is to turn "Bibliothèque du Soleil" into a center where young Haitians have access to books, gain analytical and research skills that will allow them to be active and responsible members of society, as well as develop a global understanding of the world around them through reading and writing.

My father has always taught me that reading and writing are revolutionary acts. He strongly believes that in order to bring about social change in Haiti, the country needs to empower young people and give them access to spaces that not only fulfill the needs of our young learning community, but also provide them with opportunities for artistic and creative expression.

Unfortunately, many of the things we take for granted here in the United States, are not given in Haiti. My dad is currently directing the library with lights that come on only a few hours a day and water that run for only an hour in the morning. A library cannot fully function in such conditions. The library is in desperate need of an inverter that will provide constant electricity during hours of service. I intend on buying the inverter during my next trip to Haiti, but I must raise the funds as soon as possible and am in need of your help.

If you would like to make a donation to the library so that young Haitians in the surrounding community can have a place to study, read, and conduct research, please email me at ntaniblue@hotmail.com or [url]nayadou@berkeley.edu[/url]. You can also send donation checks payable to Nadège Clitandre at the following address:

African American Studies
660 Barrows Hall #2572
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-2572

If you are donating books and materials to the library, please send them to the address below:

Pierre A. Clitandre
Bibliothèque du Soleil
342 Avenue Magloire Ambroise
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Send me an email me if you are interested in photos and articles on the library (French language), Bibliothèque du Soleil. Please feel free to circulate this letter to your network of friends and colleagues.

With much appreciation,
Nadège Clitandre
Ph.D. Candidate
African Diaspora Program
African American Studies
University of California, Berkeley

______________