Who We Are and What We Do

Founded in the aftermath of the 2010 Haitian earthquake, GRAHN-Switzerland is comprised of Haitian and non-Haitian professionals residing in Geneva and the surrounding region. We are dedicated to providing tuition-free learning and facilities to the current generation of Haitian children. We want to be a leading cause for change in the country.
GRAHN-Suisse's mission is to fund, build, and operate a private, tuition-free, secondary school for needy children in northern Haiti. The school is scheduled to open in 2026, which follows the opening of a kindergarten school in 2016, and an elementary school planned to open in 2022.
Our total project costs are approximately 800.000 CHF. Funding for the project comes from individual members, NGOs and UN agencies, as well as city, state, and municipal sourcing where available, and the private sector. We encourage all partners and interested parties to spread the news of our organization and to support us financially as possible. Our promotion and fundraising efforts are ongoing.
Our project will offer a free, first-class educational opportunity to the current generation of Haitian students who will become the country’s future leaders in areas such as economics, politics, and civil society. The established curriculum currently focuses on four vital development sectors for the country: agriculture, education, services, and research.

The Plan — A Unified Effort

It was 10 years ago on January 12, 2010 that a disastrous 7.0 magnitude earthquake decimated Haiti’s fragile economy and infrastructure, and killed more than 200,000 people. Formed one week after that catastrophe, GRAND-World began work on a long-term, educational development plan which was unprecedented in Haiti’s civil society.

The plan would create a City of Knowledge in northern Genipailler, Milot, Haiti. It would offer a tuition-free, French style curriculum to residents of the local communities, grooming the next generation of Haitian leaders. A global task force of Haitian and non-Haitians to construct a comprehensive educational platform: a kindergarten school, an elementary school, a secondary school, a high school, a vocational and training college, a 4-year university, as well as a state of the art library.

Today, GRAND-Monde has 6 chapters worldwide – in Canada, France, Haiti, Senegal, Switzerland, and the United States. The kindergarten school opened in 2016. The elementary school will open in 2022. The remaining chapters are responsible for funding and building the remaining components of this grand idea in the coming years.

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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.

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Meet the Team

PRESIDENT
Born in Haiti, Dodly Alexandré completed his secondary studies at the Petit Séminaire St-Martial College in Port-au-Prince. Subsequently, he obtained a degree in Computer Science at the International Institute of Commercial Education in Switzerland and then a degree in Political Science at the University of Geneva. To complete his training, he later obtained a postgraduate degree in American Studies at Smith College in the United States with a specialization in international economics. He has successfully passed Management Certificates such as Prince2, ITIL, CobIT. On a professional level, Dodly Alexandre has held management positions in European and American multinationals in sectors such as telecommunications, finance and IT. In addition, he has worked in sustainable humanitarian programs. My primary objective in joining GRAHN is to bring Haitian skills together to direct them towards the common good and the improvement of living conditions of Haitians in a long-term perspective.

VICE PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

TREASURER
Jacques-Michel Dieudonné is the treasurer at GRAHN-Suisse. He has long been interested in community life and IT. In Geneva I was secretary of the Solemyo Association for the promotion of appropriate technologies and organizer of solar kitchen construction courses. I have a certificate of legal capacity in Swiss law. I followed the training in the design of sustainable systems to approach human projects in a holistic way. I'm always looking for something new to learn.

ADVISER
Dominique Desmangles is a graduate of the University Institute for Development Studies in Geneva. She has worked in the management of social development programs in various organizations from 1994 to 2014. A recognized activist, she has a rich experience in the promotion of the cultural and artistic heritage of Haiti. Dominique expresses her creativity through writing, artistic advice and cultural production. She was distinguished by several literary prizes, including the Toussaint Louverture Grand Prix in 2003 and was the subject of a tribute in 2011. She is author in the collective works "Haiti, reinventing the future" at Editions de l ' State University of Haiti in 2012 and "Ayiti Cheri Haitian Poetry 1800-2015" at Legs Edition. Dominique is a founding member of GRAHN-Switzerland. Since 2018, she has been living in Port-au-Prince, where she directs the Foundation for the Vision for Life, which aims to combat blindness among the population.

Account Controller

AUDITOR

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Make a Difference. Donate today!

Funding for the project comes from individual donations, annual memberships, NGOs and UN agency grants, as well as city, state, and federal sourcing where available, and the private sector. We encourage all future and present partners and interested parties to spread the news of our organization and to support us financially. Contact us to learn how you can donate or support our project.

GRAHN-Switzerland is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization advocating a structured and coordinated plan for the reconstruction of a new Haiti based on the law, sharing, solidarity, education, respect for the environment and the common good. We welcome your support and cooperation in these efforts.