On a beautiful and sunny October morning, a six-year-old Haitian girl got out of bed to her ready for her first day of school. Dressed in a blue skirt and white top, with ribbons and barrettes in her hair, she entered the iron gate of EML carrying her scholarly book bag. At the sound of the bell, every girl methodically got in formation to sing the national anthem , “La Dessalinienne,”followed by daily prayers before beginning the school day. Seven years later, she would receive an elementary education that would set her on the path to success in both academia and business; propelled by the message of love, hope, and community that was instilled by the Sisters of Cluny.
That young girl would grow up to become Marie Thadal, the founder of ITIAH Angels for Learning. Soon after the devastating earthquake in January, 2010, EML was constantly on Marie’s mind, wondering what had happened to her school and the students. Sadly, she learned that EML was completely demolished and at the moment, she vowed to help make a difference.
While exploitation and predation of the weak and disenfranchised have personified Haiti’s history, Marie believes that by focusing on education and learning we can combat hardship. What Marie finds most remarkable is her mother’s vision and wisdom in seeking out the Javoueh Sister’s method of learning for her education. For that, she is forever grateful. ITIAH Angels for Learning draws its inspiration from this amazing story of triumph admist chaos that has given many students the confidence and skills to succeed in every part of the world.
