The Southwest Portland Post., April 01, 2014, Page 7, Image 7

April 2014
NEWS
The Southwest Portland Post • 7
Southwest resident Rich Ireland to speak on education for Haitians
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
A talk and slide show about the
Education for Haiti project will be
presented next month by long-time
Southwest resident Rich Ireland.
The presentation is scheduled
for Monday, May 5, from 6:30 to
8:00 p.m. at the Oregon School of
Massage located at 9500 SW Barbur
Blvd #100. (Ireland is an instructor
at the school.)
Admission is free and those at-
tending are invited to bring their
questions and curiosity.
“We see in the media many exam-
ples of the immense problems fac-
ing Haiti,” Ireland said in a recent
interview. “One of the problems is
access to education.”
According to statistics, less than
50 percent of children in Haiti
graduate from the 6th grade.
“Less than 20 percent go to high
school,” Ireland continued, “and
only about nine percent graduate
Community forum on child sex
trafficking to be held April 12
Little Sisters Foundation and First
Unitarian Church will host a com-
munity forum on Portland’s child
sex trade on Saturday, April 12,
from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the church
sanctuary, 1211 SW Main Street.
US Attorney Amanda Marshall
and Oregon Rep. Carolyn Tomei
will open the event with briefings
on this modern-day form of slavery.
Long a hidden crime in Portland,
child sex trafficking was docu-
from high school.”
So Ireland created a non-profit
called Education for Haiti which
addresses this need by working
with families in the Haitian town of
Aquin. It provides tuition through
high school and beyond.
“Tuition?” the Post asked.
“Eighty-five percent of the schools
in Haiti are private. Even the pub-
lic schools cost money,” Ireland
replied.
This is a program that has been
operating since 2001, when Ireland
returned from the Peace Corps to
Southwest Portland.
Over that time he and a handful
of friends have donated money to
six families to assist their children’s
access to school. These families rep-
resent 33 children.
The investment has had wonder-
ful success. Five have graduated
from high school and three of those
are pursuing professions in nursing,
law and engineering. The other two
would like to start nursing school.
mented in a study commissioned
by Marshall and carried out by
researchers at Portland State Uni-
versity last year.
Almost 500 underage victims of
sexual trafficking were referred to
the Multnomah County Department
of Human Services and the Sexual
Assault Resource Center between
2009 and 2013, with a total of 159
active cases at the time of the study.
Over 96 percent were girls and
the average age was just 15. Afri-
can Americans accounted for more
than 27 percent of victims though
Seventeen are still
attending school.
Most of them want
to go into a profes-
sion. There are two
others who have
established viable
businesses.
Education for
Haiti is working to
continue the legacy
of this work by pro-
viding support for
those in school and
those who wish to
continue. Once
they commit to a
family, the commit- Rich Ireland (left) visits his one employee, Marlen Bontemps,
ment is to continue who helps distribute tuition donations in Aquin, Haiti.
that support until (Photo courtesy of Rich Ireland)
the individuals have finished their
we not only support their poten-
education.
tial,” Ireland said. “In a very real
Economic development is essen-
way we contribute to the economy
tial for Haiti to address its needs.
of Aquin.
Teaching is one profession where
Ireland served in Haiti as a Peace
educated Haitians can find work.
Corps volunteer, not right out of
“Through supporting students
college like many do. He was 52. He
went from 1998-2001 and returned
for a visit ten years later.
“It was the right time,” he said. I
they make up less than 6 percent of
had wanted to do this as a young
Multnomah County’s population.
man but never found the time for
Local efforts to end child sex traf-
it.”
ficking are broad-based and involve
“After working in the private
the Department of Justice, law en-
world for many years it was time
forcement agencies, social welfare
to get out doing some good,” he
services, NGOs and faith-based
reflected.
organizations.
What he didn’t know was that it
The April 12 event will profile
would alter his life course and the
these efforts in a panel discussion
lives of many Haitians for years
and reception. The community and
to come, providing opportunities
media are invited. More information
where there were none before.
may be available at www.firstuni-
Find out more about the non-prof-
tarianportland.org.
it at www.educationforhaiti.org.
– Don Snedecor
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