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Haiti

On January 12, 2010, the country was hit by a devastating 7.0 earthquake, the same earthquake that claimed the life of Britney Gengel and approximately 220,000 to 300,000 other people. Later that year, a horrible outbreak of deadly Cholera affected the nation. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew continued the destruction as the most catastrophic caribbean storm in nearly a decade. That storm left over a million Haitians in need of assistance. Today, people are still trying to recover while poverty, political unrest and violence continue to leave Haiti in a critical state.

Despite the government and societal challenges that Haiti has faced, we strive to forge a path for a stronger future with education, leadership and technology. With the Haitian spirit of resiliency, we work everyday to bring hope for the future generations.

Raising the next Generation of Leaders in Haiti

Read more about our individual projects and the impact on Brit’s Kids, the community and those from around the world making it happen.

Brit's Academy

Brit’s Academy, originally founded in 2016 and expanded in 2019, now provides in-house, quality education to all of our children. Going beyond the rote memorization taught in most Haitian schools, Brit’s kids participate in daily active learning experiences that encourage critical thinking through our Agile Mindset pedagogy which focuses on empathy, problem-solving, social-emotional learning, and an entrepreneurial mindset.

With access to new technology, our kids and staff have access to a global curriculum including our speaker series “Connect, Engage, Learn.” Through this new series, speakers from all over the world can present to our eager students; building a bridge across the ocean from Haiti and resulting in phenomenal eye-opening education.

In addition to learning Creole, French, and English, enrichment courses in the arts, music, and chess are also integrated Brit’s Academy was established in 2016 and expanded in 2019 to provide high-quality, in-house education to all students. Our approach goes beyond the traditional memorization-based teaching methods used in most Haitian schools. At Brit’s Academy, we focus on daily active learning experiences to promote critical thinking, using our Agile Mindset pedagogy that emphasizes empathy, problem-solving, social-emotional learning, and an entrepreneurial mindset.

We have invested in new technology to give our students and staff access to a global curriculum, including our speaker series called “Connect, Engage, Learn.” This series brings speakers from all over the world to present to our eager students, bridging the gap between Haiti and the rest of the world, resulting in a phenomenal eye-opening education.

Our curriculum includes Creole, French, and English language learning, as well as enrichment courses in the arts, music, and chess. Our certified teachers equip our students with the necessary tools to pursue employment locally in Haiti or compete in the global arena.into the curriculum. It is with certified teachers that our children will have the tools necessary to focus on employability locally in Haiti and/or the ability to compete in a global arena.

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Sustainability

Brit’s home is continuously making efforts to be more sustainable. Since 2014, 100 solar panels have powered over half of Be Like Brit’s electricity needs. This energy source fuels our power, water pump, air conditioning, internet, computers, kitchen and beyond. With the help of a backup generator, it also allows us to remain “off the grid” and decreases dependency on Haiti’s unreliable and expensive local resource.

Through a terrace designed water collection and distribution process, rainwater flows through our garden while excess is captured in our water cistern underground and used for our sprinkler system on drier days. Brit's Home also has a nanotechnology filtration unit that is used to purify the drinking water inside the home.

Transition Program

At Be Like Brit we want to ensure the future of Brit’s kids. As our oldest children begin to transition into adolescence or young adulthood we are identifying ways to continue to support and include them as part of the Be Like Brit family.

The pioneer transition program is designed with all of our teens in mind and aims to fully support their successful transition into young adulthood with support staff, continued education, independent living, exploration of self and empowerment in the local workforce.With the help of our staff and volunteers, we offer a lifelong commitment to their future and act as a guide in the next stage of their lives and leadership.

It is through this program that we will be able to continue to nurture our young adults and prepare them for their adult lives so we can fulfill our goal of raising and supporting the next generation of leaders.

Drone shot of our Transition Program Housing for our children 18 and over.

Health Care

Brit's Home has two nurses on staff that provide general medical care for our children, staff and their families. The 1150 square foot clinic is fully operational with all the necessary tools and materials.

In January of 2017, Be Like Brit became an approved pre-designated Landing Zone for the Haiti Air Ambulance, enabling us to facilitate emergency air evacuations by helicopter in the most desperate of situations.

Community

The people of Grand Goâve have been supportive and actively involved in our efforts from the time that we first looked at the site where we would later begin construction on Brit's Home. Today, Be Like Brit is the largest employer in the area, with additional employees being brought in for special projects.

We believe strongly that we must involve the community. Our local staff (which include social workers, caretakers, nurses and teachers) develop the treatment plans and curriculum for our children. Our policies and processes include our local staff and members of the local community every step of the way. We have a clear appreciation for and insistence on a collaborative approach to problem solving in our communities. We also offer neighboring communities our services and support wherever possible including collaboration with other schools, children’s homes, missions and organizations in our area.

Since Brit's Home opened in 2013, when possible, we have distributed up to 1,000 gallons of purified water daily to local families. Less than half of the people in rural Haiti have access to clean water, and many die each year from water-borne diseases. In 2016, we expanded our wells and rain-water catchment basins, with the aim of increasing our daily distribution to 2,000 gallons daily when possible, serving upwards of 75 families per day. With the average household size in Haiti being approximately 6, we estimate that we’re serving between 450-500 individuals each day, when offering water distribution.

Pre COVID, we offered medical clinics to our community. Though this is temporarily on hold, we are so grateful to all those that helped us make a difference and we look forward to getting back to providing medical assistance to our communities when possible.

Security

Since starting Be Like Brit, the safety and security of our children and staff has always been and will continue to be our top priority. Haiti is in a volatile and changing state. Poverty, environmental destruction, a presidential assassination and country wide chaos mean a particularly difficult time for security.

We are now taking extra steps to protect Brit's Home and all it represents to the future of Haiti. Be Like Brit has increased our security force, added a security satellite telephone system, security cameras and added a retaining security wall at our transition homes. In addition to our regular security staff of ten we have added three armed security guards to protect the staff and children. We continue to put safety first and identify the right #stepstosecurity as part of our new security campaign.

GET IN TOUCH

(508) 886-4500
OPERATIONS CENTER

66 Pullman Street, Worcester, MA, 01606

Brit's Home

33 Brit's Way, Grand Goave, Haiti