Out of Poverty thru Education, a local not-for-profit, working to build school in Haitian town

In Thomassique, Haiti, there is a small plot of land reserved for a school. The project will start with drilling a well. A school and dormitory will follow as the money becomes available.

A local group that draws support from civic and religious organizations is raising money to build a school in Thomassique, a small town about 10 miles west of the border of the Dominican Republic.

Out of Poverty thru Education formed about a year ago, and the group is applying for 501c3 status, which allows tax exemptions for not-for profit organizations. The group is having a fundraiser, a family-style catfish dinner, at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Deerfield Lodge in Cape Girardeau.

Local businessman Skip Wrape said he was looking for a Rotary project when he traveled to Thomassique in February 2008. He visited the hometown of The Rev. Rahab Isidor, a priest at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Cape Girardeau who now works in Springfield, Mo.

After seeing the orphans attending school under trees, Wrape said he wanted to build infrastructure to help with their education.

"I came back and said, 'I cant quit on this one,'" he said.

He said he realized he needed to pull together more resources so he formed Out of Poverty thru Education.

For the past year the group, which has about 12 members, has been organizing support for the project.

"We're excited with all the people getting on board," Wrape said.

So far, the organization has raised $15,000, enough to drill a well. Wrape said he hopes to raise $85,000 in the next six months to fund the construction of the school. The project will proceed in three stages, he said. The first part will include a nine-room school with a well and generator. The second and third phases will build housing for students and volunteers.

Bonnie Poythress, a member of the organization, traveled to Thomassique about two weeks ago. She said the community has two private schools and a Catholic school that is filled to capacity. There are also about 200 orphans attending school under lean-tos.

Poythress said the students study under the security lights outside the medical clinic during the evening. They also get up at the first light of dawn to study more, she said.

"The effort they make is incredible," she said.

While there, Poythress said she checked in on the project and sorted out paperwork. Wrape said someone from the group visits Thomassique about once every six months. He is planning his third trip in February.

He said there is a town committee -- made up of lawyers, teachers and other residents -- that will help direct the construction. The local Catholic Church donated the land. The school will be run by Pierre Louis, who directs the education of the local orphans.

"We think education is the key," Poythress said. "It was in this country."

Tickets for Thursday's fundraiser cost $35 for a family of four.

The event will also feature the premier of "The Life Lessons of Wise Old Leo," a children's book by James Riley Jr., a local writer and CEO of Red Letter Communications. Reservations can be made by calling 800-279-8183.

abusch@semissourian.com

388-3627