Sunday May 26th, Association Chelaine du Millenaire hosted their first Afro-Caribbean Brunch to raise funds for their school in Leroux Cachiman, Haiti. This event reunited loyal donors of the association as well as new partners and supporters to celebrate ACM’s growth over the last few years. This was their first time hosting an event since their last annual Bal en Blanc in 2019 due to Covid.
For over two years now, I’ve sat on the board of Chelaine to contribute my efforts in building a better Haiti. Being born in Canada, I often feel powerless when it comes to issues surrounding my parents' birth country. I even feel embarrassed that I have never visited the Island but have visited many others. Don’t get me wrong, going to Haiti is my dream trip and I feel a great sense of belonging and connection to the culture, however I no longer have family there. Unfortunately, the country's instability has hindered my plans to visit time and time again. This is one of the main reasons I cherish being on the board of ACM. It’s my way of giving back and contributing to helping children in need while also having a direct link to the country.
Chelaine is a remarkable Association founded by a long time family friend, Bernadette Julien. Through her role as a retired school principal in Montreal, she extended her expertise back to her home of Haiti to provide education to the children of Leroux Cachiman who had been affected by the 2010 earthquake. Since then, the association has grown extensively and has been able to provide vital resources such as a shelter, a school and a water well for the village! The committee is made up of professional Haitian natives (to the exception of Philippe the president of the association and myself) who simply want to give back because somewhere in their journey growing up in Haiti, someone helped them. The vice president of the association who grew up in that part of Haiti, visits the school regularly to ensure the children are receiving the proper education and resources as well as makes sure that all funds allocated to the school are distributed accordingly.
ACM’s dedication to the children of Leroux Cachiman is a source of motivation and pride for me and I am grateful for the opportunity to make a difference through this association.
Written by: Jessica F.
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