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Haiti Education - 163 Haitian Students Going To College In Senegal

Did you know, The Republic of Senegal has just welcomed 163 students from Haiti with scholarships, free housing, and the promise of a college education.

These Haitian students were picked up in a private jet, chartered by the Senegalese government late Wednesday and, upon arrival, they were welcomed by Senegal president Abdoulaye Wade and in a ceremonial atmosphere.

Here is the most interesting part of this story...

Out of a world where many neighbors of Haiti are pushing Haitians away, treating us like dogs, and constantly making headlines about how many of us they have kicked out, comes SENEGAL, a little African country, not any better than Haiti, who flew halfway around the world, picked us up like dignitaries, received us like diplomats, only to help us.

Wow!

Lakay se lakay... Sa-a se vre!

Yon jou, fok nou remet yon lot peyi menm sa Senegal fe pou nou jodia.

Otherwise... Li fet an vain!

Haitian youth minister Evans Lescouflair said this in an interview:

"It's very nice when the abundant person lends you a hand but... when the person who barely has anything shares with you the little bit that he has, that's priceless"

As I travelled aroung the Haitian internet, looking for articles about this event, I bumped into one new source which states:

"Senegal is one of the poorest countries in the world and its GDP is only marginally higher than Haiti's, but that didn't stop the government from going ahead with [this] plan"

My fellow Haitians, we have to better ourselves, we have to reach a point in this generation where we can stop saying "Thank YOU"

Instead, we need to start saying "You're WELCOME"

My 80 year old uncle Arthur once told me: "As long as you have just a little bit more to give to somebody else you will never be poor."

Let us practice giving back.

We owe it to Senegal to return the favor and the respect to someone else.

What do you think?

Rely with your comments

Write a comment  (9)

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All Comments (9)

Yvette Duverge says...

Thank You Senegal.

God bless you and God bless

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Gagui says...

A lot of Haitian teachers where sent to Africa, back in the 50-60 s.And stil many haitian elites from those days are still living in countries such as Congo, senegal, Gabon, etc. This greate gesture, however, is not hunaminous in Senegal, beacause a lot of senegalese are complaining of lack of school access of their own kids, and now they are welcoming haitians students for free. I just hope that those haitians kids are not going to become targets.

And also, i think that this decision of Senegal is coming from the guilt of not supporting Aristid in 2004 when he was asking for the restitution of haiti s debt of indenpendance that Haiti was forced to pay to France(150 million gold francs, at the time worth more than 10 times the nation's revenues).

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Poorhaitiankids says...

Thank you Senegal!

I wish that other countries could take some Haitians kids to their High school programs, because Haiti's High School process is a "RACE TO NOWHERE".

They keep most of the unfortunate and poor kids behind by not graduating them in order to keep the country behind for the rich to enjoy all of our

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Luko Adjaffi says...

GOOD BUT ..ANY WAY ..ON M A DIT QUE LES HAITIANS USED TO GO TO AFRICA TO TECH AFRICAN HOW TO READ ..AND NOW PAY BACK TIME
OH MY GOD ..OH HAITI ..MON COEUR CRY FOR

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Labellecapoise says...

What exactly makes you

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Nehanda says...

I am African American I would have loved such an opportunity to get a free education in an African Country.

I have traveled both to Africa & Haiti and was treated very well by the people.

I hope they enjoy their stay. How

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Bernadette says...

Frankly speaking, I never thought that Mr. Wade would keep up with his promise because he has a reputation of being a talker, not a doer. He proves us wrong there.

Sorry Mr. Wade.
At the risk of sounding ungrateful, is this the closure of his promise?

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Jzoe Zoeclipbaz says...

Dat make me sick everytimes I hear somethin' like

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Josy says...

I have been to Senegal, and it is a muslim majority.

The non-muslims suffer discrimination in all sectors, and are poorer.

I had a couple from my group who got robbed at knifepoint, and it was traumatic.

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