Fearing’s: Making a Difference for Our World
Two local philanthropists, who have chosen to remain anonymous, made generous contributions in 2016 to fund solar energy panels at a school in Haiti. The installation, which will be finished in the spring of 2017, will bring sustainable learning conditions to children in the poorest country in our hemisphere. The school is operated by Schools for Haiti, a nonprofit based in Florida, and connected to local businessman Doug Fearing, who is on the organization’s Board of Directors.
The funds for this project were raised in 2016 at the annual Schools for Haiti fundraiser, hosted by Fearing’s Audio Video Security. This year’s Schools for Haiti Gala & Auction will be held on April 22, 2017 and tickets are still available. Or go to Fearing’s Facebook Events page.
“Public electricity in Haiti is very limited and unreliable. The most common alternatives are gas or diesel generators which are costly to buy and operate. Solar power is a one time investment and very reliable, as Haiti has sun every day. “Solar power is a game changer for our students”, says Doug Fearing, president of Fearing’s Audio Video Security.
Haiti is the third poorest country in the world. According to The World Bank, less than 38 percent of Haitians have access to electricity, which makes daily activities like cooking dinner, washing clothes and pursuing an education difficult.
“I am thrilled for what solar panels will mean for the kids. Having power will allow us to bring in computers, which was impossible before,” says Fearing. “Computers will open the kids’ eyes to a whole new world! They don’t have TV or other scarce resources to expand their view of the world and it’s possibilities.”
Only 57 percent of children in Haiti attend primary school with a dismal 10 percent of children continuing through high school. Schools for Haiti operates five primary schools and one high school and employs 126 Haitian staff. With the proper resources, Schools for Haiti will continue to teach students with the vision to ”make a difference in their lives, so they can make a difference in the future Haiti!”
