Strengthening School Foundations: Project Cavaillon

Lakou participants took the initiative in-between classes to give back to their community. They independently visited several local schools in search of one with the greatest need where they could apply their newly learned skills. They found a school in Cavaillon that consisted of 5 small rooms in desperate need of a floor. The students had been learning on a dirt floor. When it rained, it poured…mud, that is. And, when it wasn’t raining, one side of the room would fill with dust, making the classrooms unsafe at times.

The participants priced and purchased the building materials and prepared the ground for poured concrete. “It was a great day! People came together to help us move water, concrete, and sand,” said Buchman, Lakou Communications Coordinator in Haiti. “In the process of helping our community with the construction skills the team has learned, we created bonds.” With the help of the community, the new concrete floor was finished in just two days.

In addition to a flood of heartfelt thank-yous, students and staff prepared a meal for the participants as a token of their appreciation. “The whole community, students, teachers, and parents alike, showed much appreciation,” said Buchman. “The most important thing we learned from this experience is that you don't have to do a lot to make a big impact.”

Thanks to the generosity of Lakou and its participants, students at Cavaillon can now learn and play in a safe environment.