A blog written for OTM! In case you missed it.
It’s Day 3 of the 2011 Global Seva Challenge “bare witness” tour of Haiti, and we are not only beginning to see the incredible things our donations are funding, but are seeing firsthand the strength of spirit within the Haitian people. We started our day with a meditation to check in on how we have been showing up since we arrived. What entered my mind was how the Haitians show up each day, full of pride for their country, love for their community, and a genuine warmth and gratitude for foreigners such as ourselves.
Today we saw a seed that has been planted for change in Haiti when we visited the Amurt School, an eco-friendly school on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince with a focus on yoga and mindfulness. Since the 2010 earthquake, the school has brought together the surrounding camp of 2,000 people by providing grade school (K-6) education, in addition to programs that empower local women through vocational and literacy training, parenting programs, and communication and leadership development. There is a small fee to cover basic necessities, but if the family cannot afford it, they volunteer their time as a barter. No child is turned away.
Yoga and mindfulness is the foundation for ALL of the school’s teachings. Every school day begins with the students seated together in a “Circle of Love” to invoke a sense of union, compassion, and joy to set the tone for a structured and calm atmosphere for the day. Yoga classes are provided throughout the day for people of all ages in the community. The school is closely connected to the camp community, and the students’ families are involved with the school’s maintenance as well as decision making.
Along with being a holistic school that looks at the whole child, the Amurt school looks holistically at people’s surrounding environment. There is a garden located at the heart of the campus to teach the school’s children how to grow their own food. A drinking water system was created using gravel and sand, making clean water available for everyone and reducing plastic bottle use. Composting toilets have been created using sugar cane husks, which are then used as compost for banana and moringa trees (a tree with highly nutritious leaves, equivalent to the superfood Spirulina).
The director of the Amurt School gave us a tour, and we saw something distinct in these children. They appeared confident, well balanced, joyous, and interactive. We participated in a yoga class led by one of the teachers and watched the children surrender in Savasana, where they lie getting a few moments of peace and calmness in the midst of their day. In another classroom Suzanne Sterling, co-founder of Off the Mat, Into the World, played her drum and united the children with music and song (a common theme in all our visits). There was dancing and laughter and clear sense that the children not only felt safe and were allowed to be expressive, but their warmth was overflowing and contagious. These children have been living in tents for more than two years, where there may not be food, a toilet, or basic necessities, yet everyone danced together in laughter and joyous union. Near the end of the dancing, a boy came up to me, hugged me smiling, and didn’t let go. We continued to dance with the embrace of our hug. My heart was touched by the warmth of the whole experience, and my emotions heightened . Our hearts were united and for those few moments our different cultures didn’t matter…we were united as one.
The school has been so successful in creating a sustainable model of holistic teaching and unification of community that the government has asked them to create the curriculum and train the teachers of more than 75 schools throughout Haiti. The Amurt School is thrilled to share and collaborate in creating a holistic education system where the mind, body, and spirit are all seen as essential to a child’s development and well-being. The school is currently seeking out teachers to volunteer to enhance the education of Haitian children. Housing and food will be provided for these teachers, and there is a possibility of grant funding in the future. If you are energetic, wanting to help, and see the true value of a yoga and mindfulness focus in schools, check out their website for more info: www.amurthaiti.org, or contact the Amurt School director at sara@amurt.net. Theirs is an incredible model of education uniting spirituality, yoga, and education to not only enhance learning but allow for children to gain balance in their lives.
Just one of the memorable and transformational moments in Haiti. Thank you, Kristin Adair for capturing the precious moments at the Amurt School. SO grateful!
Much LOVE,
Ella
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