Cité Soleil Community School

In 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti.

I was in the final year of my Bachelor's degree in International Relations, hoping to work in aid and development. But I was skeptical of the reality between what I was learning in school and what really happens in practice.

With much naivety, I decided to fundraise for Haiti. $2000 to build a well in Carries, in the countryside. By chance, I did this with the right people and the well still pumps water today. Over my years in Haiti, however, I learned about the deep corruption and inefficiencies of the aid industry.

When I went to Haiti for the first time, I stayed at Wall's International Guesthouse. There, I met many different people. One group invited me to Cité Soleil Community School in Cité Soleil, one of the most challenging areas of Port-au-Prince.

Not many organisations operate long-term in Cité Soleil, and its people often find themselves without hope for a future unmarked by guns, gangs, violence, and instability.

The school's vision is to offer a different path through an appreciation of books, technology, positive social orientation, and opportunities for academic pursuits. They also provide hot meals to the students, sometimes their only true meal of the day.

I eventually started working for one of the school's NGO partners, Haiti Partners. Their founders have been operating in Haiti for over 30 years. International staff members speak fluent Haitian Kreyol, and Haitian leadership of its programs and projects is a priority.

I left Haiti in 2014 and have spent the last 11 years establishing my own path, as I first started this work when I was only 22 years old. Now, as my art business continues to grow, it is essential that the school grows with it.

As of October 2025, 25% of all earnings from the Wild of the Tropics collection (originals, prints, etc.) will go straight to the school with the help of Haiti Partners. I will cover any transfer fees.