GRAHN-Switzerland: Forging Ahead

In April 2018, GRAHN-Suisse, the Swiss Chapter of GRAHN-Monde (the Group of Reflection and Action for a New Haiti (GRAHN-Monde) officially launched its 800.000 CHF capital program to fund the building and operation of a private secondary school in the small, northern town of Genipallier, Haiti.

A ground-breaking ceremony held on April 23, 2018 was attended by GRAHN-Suisse President Dodly Alexandre, several local dignitaries, as well as officials representing the Montreal-based GRAND-Monde and its four (4) chapter associations in France, Senegal, Haiti, Switzerland, and the United States. This school will be part of ISTEAH, a 28-hectare campus that will a kindergarten, primary, and secondary school, as well as vocational/technical training school, and a 4-year universiity.

Headquartered in Geneva and established in 2017, GRAHN-Suisse launched its capitlization program last year and plans are to open the school to students by 2026. GRAHN-Monde is an organization of citizens, across the globe, advocating a structured and coordinated action plan for the reconstruction of a new Haiti based on the law, sharing, solidarity, education, respect for the environment and the common good.

The kindergarten school opened in 2016 with an inaugural class of 40 students which has now grown to nearly 90. The primary school is scheduled to open in 2022. Students were selected from the local community and the French-style curriculum is offered to students free of charge. Both schools are funded and built by the Canadian chapter of GRAND-Monde.