The Cité Soleil Scholarship Program
Before the earthquake devastated Haiti, seven young men and three young women from Cité Soleil had been selected to receive scholarships to study in Brazil. They had the highest academic credentials and financial need. Each student chosen demonstrated a dedication to community service, leadership and a commitment to give back to Haiti. They are currently enrolled at Brazilian universities in fields ranging from economics and medicine to engineering and agriculture and will return to Haiti as part of a new generation of leaders in the nation's long-term reconstruction.


Background
Over the last twenty years, Haiti has witnessed the dismantling of higher education training programs, contributing to the brain drain abroad and undercutting attempts made by the State and universities to invest in postgraduate training. Recently, the devastating 2010 earthquake has destroyed a large portion of Haiti's higher-education system (see report here).

INURED is committed to training a critical mass of students as researchers and innovators. In order to meet this objective – and taking into account the need to raise the level of the student population in Haiti to match the international standards of university training – the Institute has developed a pilot scholarship program called the Cité Soleil Scholarship Program as part of INURED's Academic Cooperation and International Exchange Programs. Cité Soleil is one of the poorest settlements in Port-au-Prince. In 2006, it was the site of a standoff between international peacekeepers and violent gangs. INURED has worked in this conflict zone, creating civil infrastructure through a process of participatory research and community engagement. It was in this context that INURED brokered a partnership with the Government of Brazil and several universities in Brazil to train the top students from Cité Soleil.



Process
 In 2008, INURED initiated the scholarship application process among 200 students who successfully completed the Haitian Baccalaureate (high school) and met the PEC P-G (the Brazilian scholarship mechanism) eligibility criteria, of which 36 were chosen. In partnership with the Brazilian universities and the Brazilian Embassy, these students engaged in a full year of Portuguese study. In June 2009, out of these 36 candidates, the Brazilian universities, in consultation with INURED, selected the ten students with the highest scores.

In Brazil, scholarship recipients study disciplines including: Agronomy (Agricultural Sciences, Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, Biology, Nutritional Sciences and Telecommunications. Academic support under the program includes an INURED advisor at the Brazilian university where the student is accepted as well as a faculty mentor at INURED in Haiti. All courses are completed in Brazil, and all internships conducted in Haiti under a designated INURED field advisor in partnership with their academic advisors in Brazil. Students receive their Brazilian university diplomas from INURED in Haiti, to facilitate their domestic retention. INURED is committed to obtaining employment for students who have completed their course of study and have received a diploma.

Name University Major
1)Emmanuel Predestin U. Federal Minas Gerais Agronomy
2) Guinel M. Garcon U. Federal Minas Gerais Mechanical Engineering
3) Jean Baptiste Joseph U. Federal Pernambuco Civil Engineering
4) Jean Louis Ludger U. Federal Rio de Janeiro Computer Science
5) M. Florence Thelusma U. Federal Minas Gerais Economics
6)Marie Guerline Louis U. Federal Rio de Janeiro Biology
7)M.J. Emanese Confident U. Federal Minas Gerais Biology
8)Obel William U. Federal Pernambuco Civil Engineering
9)Oresca Denizard U. Federal de Paraiba Agronomy
10)Pinquiere Bernadin U. Federal Rio de Janeiro Telecommunications




Funding
The scholarship students in this program are funded mainly by the Brazilian Government, which defrays the cost of their tuition and partial room and board. Additional funds are needed to support each student's additional needs including insurance, school supplies, didactic materials, and support staff. INURED in partnership with generous individual donors is working to continue to sponsor each student until they earn their degrees.

This promising initiative would not be possible without the support of individuals who have demonstrated a longstanding commitment to helping Haitian rebuild. If ever there was a time to invest in the future of Haiti and its youth, the time is now. To contribute a generous, tax-deductible donation to the Scholarship Program, you can give securely on-line. To donate via mail make your check payable to the "Family and Youth Community Research Center" and send to: FYCRC, 10750 S.W. 62nd Terrace, Miami, FL 33143, USA. For inquires please contact: donations@inured.org.