Handmade Haitian Jewellery

Yesterday I went to visit TeacHaiti, a school of 70 sponsored children from 1st to 5th Grade.  Haitian schools don't begin until October 3rd, hence the classrooms at TeacHaiti were filled with empty desks.

TeacHaiti also sponsors the school tuition of another 200+ students who attend other schools in Haiti, many who are high school students.  I was able to meet some of these students on top of the roof of the TeacHaiti school where handmade jewellery is made every Saturday.

100 per cent of the profits made from this jewellery is saved in a college fund for these students.  After they've graduated from high school the college fund will enable them to continue their education at a university.

The jewellery making process is more detailed than I can explain; in brief here are the steps I saw...

Recycled cereal boxes are cut into long triangular pieces using a guillotine.

The cardboard is wound around a stick and then sealed with PVA glue to make a bead.  Repeat the process. (see attached video)

Here is a string of beads I made; these are then put to dry in the sun.

Afterwards the handmade beads are taken off the stick and assembled onto nylon string, together with other plastic beads, to make bracelets and necklaces.

 

What I most enjoyed about yesterday was spending time talking with the students; with the limited Creole I knew and the limited English they knew, we were able to laugh together, teach one another and most importantly I was able to contribute to their future by supporting what they were doing.  

I look forward to making regular visits to TeacHaiti which I had decided before receiving the students' request to return.

Hope you enjoy the movies!