Fleur De Vie, a nonprofit organization that works with and supports the initiatives of struggling nonprofit organizations whose mission is to implement social change in their communities, gave back in with record-setting participation for its inaugural Back to School Recreational Day held in Port Au Prince, Haiti. The program, which took place on September 29, 2012, was Fleur De Vie’s premiere project and one of the most successful of its kind to date in Port Au Prince with 500 school children in attendance. A group of 85 volunteers contributed to the day-long event, which was marked by education and health awareness amongst youth.
Led by Fleur De Vie founders Dayanne Danier and Jenny Batista, the project team was comprised of professionals from New York and Port Au Prince who partnered with a network of like-minded individuals, businesses, and organizations. Fashion designer Danier of Bien Abyé by Dayanne Danier and fashion industry graphic artist Batista launched the Fleur De Vie initiative following their collaboration on a community outreach program designed to help the children of Haiti through the arts immediately following the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010. In 2012, Batista and Danier formed the Fleur De Vie organization to continue supporting community outreach in areas that are most in need.
“From our past visits to Haiti, we knew we wanted Fleur De Vie to continue to give the children a different type of experience than what they are used to while promoting the importance of education,” said Danier. “Thanks to our remarkable volunteer team, sponsors, and supporters, we are proud to have accomplished our goal with the inaugural project and look forward to continuing to make an impact for communities in need.”
The Back to School Recreational Day was held at Sun Auto in Tabarre, where Fleur De Vie transported close to 500 students courtesy of National Transport Services. With activities focused on health and education, students from a number of schools in the Port Au Prince area were given basic health screenings by nurses from Dash Procare Health, examined by a team of local dentists from Haiti, and tested for vision by Miami optician, Daniel Oberti. The day also included games and sports that focused on physical activity and teamwork, as well as live entertainment provided by Haitian DJ Klassick. At the conclusion of the event, Fleur De Vie distributed new back-to-school backpacks sponsored by Digicel and school supplies sponsored by Perry Ellis International.
For more information on Fleur De Vie visit www.fleurdevieonline.org, like them on Facebook , and follow them on Twitter.
