Children of Haiti Enhancement Foundation

COHEF’s mission is to PROMOTE EDUCATION IN RURAL HAITI, ESPECIALLY IN KENSCOFF, AND TO IMPROVE THE BASIC NEEDS OF A TARGETED POPULATION.

COHEF is a non-profit 501©3 organization, established in 1994, independent and apolitical in partnership with Wynne Farm Ecological Reserve located in Kenscoff, Haiti.  At the early stage, we were supporting an orphanage; however, there was a need to re-direct our support towards 5 small needy schools and one orphanage.

At the present time, we service 5 small schools and one orphanage in the beautiful mountainside of Kenscoff and its surroundings.  We help about 1000 school children, between the age of 5 and 16.  For the past 18 years, we have provided them with school supplies, clothing (new and used), toys and gifts for the Holidays, and our greatest accomplishment, the one-meal-per-day program. Occasionally, we help pay the teachers (monthly salaries which vary between $80.00 and $200.00).  One hundred-twenty five elementary school children and one college student are recipients of our scholarships.  Two of our college scholarship recipients have already graduated and six more adult students have been awarded a scholarship to study in a technical school. They should graduate within six months.

For the past six summers, we organized a FREE summer camp, which has been a great success.  This year’s camp we will entertain 550 campers. It is such a rewarding experience!  Words cannot explain what happened at the camp!  You have to live it to understand.

To date, we have not resumed our meal program because of lack of funds.  We are regularly campaigning to raise money to resume the meal program in September. When we were feeding 400 children one meal per day, it was not so hard, but now with 1000 needy children it is a challenge. For many of the children, it may be the only meal they will have for the day!  

Our strengths:

1)      Dedicated volunteers in the US and in Haiti committed to help these needy children. The volunteers pay their own expenses to travel to Haiti.

2)      Educating children, who, without our help would not receive an education.  Children and young adults in Haiti are eager to learn.  Over the last 18 years, we have partnered with the schools in educating approximately 2000 children.

3)      Providing one meal a day which increases attendance. When our meal program is in place, the schools have 100% attendance!  Why?  For some of students, it is the only meal they will receive for the day! 

To fulfill our mission and ultimately make life better for as many Haitian children we can serve, our immediate needs are:

1. The commitment of individuals and organizations to sponsor one or more children.

Because of lack of funds, our meal program has not resumed yet. We are campaigning for individuals and organizations to “adopt” some of our children by contributing $150.00 annually.

1. Funds for one staff member in Haiti in order to effectively oversee and supervise our program.
2. An Agriculture/Technical Academy in Kenscoff.

Funds to establish our greatest need: “Agriculture/Technical Academy” in Kenscoff.  We want to recognize Victor Wynne who was a pioneer in environmental consciousness in the Kenscoff area.  The name of the school will be: “Victor Wynne/COHEF Agriculture/Technical Academy” “Victor Wynne/COHEF Academie Agricole and Technique de Kenscoff”.  We are in the process of organizing numerous fundraising activities to accomplish this goal.