Dashna’s Story of Hope

Helping Haitian Angels (HHA) has a primary school from preschool through sixth grade. About 180 students attend this school for free from the local village of Dekle. Parents just pay for uniforms and backpacks. Most of these students would not be in school if HHA’s school did not exist. Three years ago, Debbie was visiting with people in the community when thirteen-year-old Dashna came running towards Debbie. Dashna is a young girl that lives in our local village of Dekle. She lives with her mom and her mom’s boyfriend. When she reached Debbie, she started sobbing and begged to go to school. Her dad had a died a couple years before and her mother’s new boyfriend did not care for her and did not want to support her or pay for school, even for just a uniform and backpack.

The very next day, Dashna was in our school being measured for a uniform. The smile on Dashna’s face while trying on her new uniform was unparalleled. She shined with joy. Dashna is now 16 and in the 6th grade because she missed several years of schooling, but she doesn’t let that get her down. She is now a leader in the school and the go-to teacher’s assistant!