The spoken language in Haiti is French and Creole: parents speak French, Creole, or a mixture of the two. Haitian Sign Language best fits the needs of the Haitian deaf community and is a part of their heritage.
Jean Berube is a Play For Peace Trainer who works with deaf children around the world but most recently has worked in both Haiti and Guatemala. She wrote to us about her inspiring work in Haiti, where she engages the deaf community in several impactful ways. Over the last four years, Jean has been part of a team recognized by the government as a group that advocates for the deaf. More recently, the main school for the deaf in Haiti, Institute Montfort, agreed to adopt Haitian Sign Language over their previously used oral approach. This was a huge success for the team, who feel that Haitian Sign Language is the best way to educate. The spoken language in Haiti is French and Creole: parents speak French, Creole, or a mixture of the two.
Haitian Sign Language best fits the needs of the Haitian deaf community and is part of their heritage. The mostly deaf staff that Jean and her colleagues are part of have spent the last two years researching, filming, and documenting Haitian sign language. Until recently, Haitian sign language was not recognized by the government, and children were taught spoken French in school. Many have no first language and do not know their name or age. This is where the annual Staff Training and Summer Camps become so important. These camps include lessons in Haitian sign language, educational activities, art, personal discovery, swimming, and storytelling. We are happy to report that staff and kids also received training in Play For Peace!
Describing her approach as a trainer in these sessions, Jean says: "I introduce strategies for creating safe environments, establish foundations for successful learning, and share visual ways to reinforce various educational lessons. Hopefully, we can make the experience fun for the teachers and we will be able to engage their commitment in bringing visual learning to the deaf.”
In 2014, staff training included eleven adult staff, along with the children’s camp, which included kids of various ages and both genders. A sandy beach and shallow water provided two outdoor teaching stations: the water, and the beach! Four classrooms were converted into bedrooms, accompanied by a multi-purpose room for group meetings and meals, and other spaces for different subjects. Both groups participated in various activities: rock sculptures, map-making, mathematics, and even drawing as a means to produce teaching tools. There was even an opportunity to practice letters and names at a community workshop: thirty-eight members from the community attended, but they also got involved in other ways.
During the week of the children’s camp, staff were brought a nineteen-year-old deaf woman who had no language and who had never been to school. She was thrilled to learn some signs! The 2014 Camp closed at noon on Saturday, July 26, after participants shared performances. A truck came from Montfort, and all of the children sat on benches in the back. The staff rode in a van and a truck. As they left the area, they were treated to the helicopter arrival of the President of Haiti as he landed at his beach home for the weekend. This was a very special two weeks. This project is supported by the board of trustees from the Friends of Montfort Institute, IDP (International Deaf Partnerships organization out of Gallaudet University), and the Personal Discovery staff of Gallaudet University.
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