By Laura Polynice   You may have heard that the acting prime minister of Haiti, Ariel Henry, resigned Monday (March 11). While he hasn’t officially resigned yet, he stated that he would resign once a transitional presidential committee is established. Now, you are probably asking, “What does this mean for Haiti?” While I am not an expert on Haitian politics, I will do my best to give a concise and unbiased summary of a very complex situation.   Has the acting prime minister stepped down?   After feeling international pressure, Ariel Henry accepted a proposition put forth by Hai ..read more

By Laura Polynice It’s difficult to write an update on Haiti. Whenever you think it can’t get any worse, it does.  This past weekend, gangs seemingly joined forces and carried out coordinated attacks throughout Port-au-Prince and the country.  This Weekend’s Events: Gangs attacked the airport in Port-au-Prince on Thursday in an effort to prevent the acting Prime Minister from returning from Kenya. All flights through the airport have been canceled since the event.  Gangs attacked the police academy in Port-au-Prince. Gangs breached the country’s largest prison in Port-au ..read more

YOUTH CHRISTMAS PARTY This GivingTuesday, PLH raised funds to make Christmas special for our youth and staff. On December 22nd, PLH held a Christmas party for the youth that participate in our soccer, basketball and artisan programs as well as their parents. Everyone enjoyed a special time with song and dance performances, speeches from the PLH staff and coaches speaking on the vision and values of PLH, and a meal of rice, beans and chicken. Our staff estimate that there were over 600 people in attendance. The coaches enjoyed being able to meet and speak with so many parents. Because of your ..read more

This past spring, PLH launched its first basketball program. We were excited to see how the sport would attract new youth. The informal practices grew quickly, and in the fall we started formal registration for the program. We now have over 70 youth participating in basketball with 42 of those being girls! Only five of these players are crossovers from our soccer program. We are thrilled to have so many new youth and especially so many girls. While soccer in the states is popular for girls, in Haiti it is typically played by boys. We have had a few girls play in our soccer program over the ye ..read more

Monday October 3, 2023 the U.N. Security Council voted to approve sending a multinational force to Haiti. The goal of the mission is to combat the extreme gang violence and steadily worsening conditions.  We pray for a successful mission, for peace for the country, and for an end to this suffering caused by gangs and corruption. We pray and we trust that change is coming, that Haiti will rise from this current tragedy and become a stronger nation.  Thank you for standing strong with PLH and Haiti through these challenging times.  Learn more about the U.N. approva ..read more

By Laura Polynice   If you’ve ever been to Haiti or have been following work in Haiti for a while, you know getting anything accomplished takes a lot of effort. There are challenges and roadblocks at every turn. Now, with the political situation and the insecurity created by the gangs, it is even more difficult than usual to get anything done. Nonetheless, with the persistence of our staff, creativity in planning, and the collaboration of the community, things still get done. Let me give you one example from earlier this week.    PLH has been working to build a bridge to replace ..read more

By Guesly DessieuxExecutive Director and Founder   There are days when I think about Haiti and tears start flowing out of my eyes as I feel powerless to change the situation. The news continues to weigh heavy on our hearts, but we remain optimistic and continue to work under traumatic conditions while attempting to meet the needs of those most at risk: children and youth. Many organizations have had to close their doors with inflation of prices and significant insecurity. PLH is standing strong and has responded to the national crisis. PLH employs 31 Haitians that keep our ..read more

Metal Fabrication Students Back in 2020, PLH sent two young men, Fed and Doriva, to a level 1 welding workshop at Extollo. That winter, they assisted with erecting the two metal buildings on the campus. Since then, we have hired them to work on several small welding projects on the campus. Most recently, they built a railing for the PLH kitchen building.  These two young men have been eager to get more welding training. We contacted Extollo to see what they could do for them. Extollo set up a private class and practicum for Fed and Doriva led by Extollo’s Haitian welders. In the mornings ..read more

A Slight Detour By Laura Polynice (Nott)  For 5 years, I have been the constant US presence for PLH in Haiti. Guesly and Sara and their kids have served several stints in the country, and visiting teams have come to serve and work on construction projects. While I got stuck in the states for a couple months on a couple different occasions, I have been in Haiti most of these five years overseeing our Haitian management, English Institute and other programs, and the various construction projects. In the fall of 2022, my husband, Wahi, joined the PLH staff as Small Business Manager. He has ..read more

By Laura Polynice In the midst of the ever-increasing challenges in Haiti, men and women gathered at PLH for two special events in the past few weeks. There are very few places beyond church and soccer matches to go and enjoy time with family or friends. These events are a way for PLH to encourage and minister to the community during a time when hope is hard to hold on to. It is our goal to continue to host events like these each quarter.  VALENTINE’S DAY On February 14th, PLH hosted a special Valentine’s Day dinner for couples from the community. The evening included music, dancing, a ..read more