Roadmap

March 6, 2009

Ti Maché Trunk Show and Open House

Haitian Art Sale to Benefit Children in Haiti Enjoy some traditional Soup Joumou or one of Guy's Rhum Punches and help us prepare for our Haiti trip, organize Care Bags, and buy a beautiful piece of Haitian Folk Art for your garden. We have a special project and are raising funds for a field trip with children from Cite Soleil that are participating in one of our Photography Workshops next month in Haiti. Sunday May 10th 1 - 6 pm 153 Montecito Avenue, Pacifica, CA  94044 Come on by, enjoy some soup, buy some art, and see what we're up to.

July 10, 2009

2009 ACFFC Digital Photography Workshop

In May and June 2009 Zanmi Lakay had our third Photography Workshop with 30 talented children at ACFFC, and Zanmi Lakay's very first digital photography workshop in Haiti! It was exciting and crazy and chaotic and inspiring and totally worth every second! It was also a community effort from the camera collecting, computer guruing, editing, and translating, to the popcorn making and organizing of the final slideshow and family party and the end of the week. The children's work will be on the website soon.

July 12, 2009

2009 Cite Soleil Photography Workshop

Zanmi Lakay collaborated with Jean Ristil and his organization Fondasyon Kolezepol in Cite Soleil with a Photography Workshop for 25 children in May and June 2009. Students were taught the basics of photography including composition, light, how to approach people, and obtaining access. We shared many examples of photography, and Jean inspired the kids with a serious dose of spirited challenge...and they were up to the task. Zanmi Lakay brought donations for the group and provided treats for the last day fete, and were also generously entertained with beautiful songs and dance by many new friends.

July 24, 2009

Report Back from Haiti and Ti Maché Trunk Sale Event!

Come check out the children's work from our May/June 2009 Photography Workshops and past Workshops! We'll report on our recent trip, our first digital Photo Workshop with 30 kids at ACFFC in Jacmel, and our new collaboration with a group of 25 children in Cite Soleil. The Haitian Folk Art Sale benefits our programs with street children in Haiti - we are fundraising for our new school sponsorship program so young children can begin their education in September, for our continuing program that finances school and rent for 12 teens, and our outreach programs. Join us at the Palo Alto home of our generous partner who assisted us in Haiti, Susan Bradley! Come on by and enjoy Guy's famous Rhum Punch, purchase beautiful Haitian Folk Art for your home and garden, and find out what we're up to. Our sale includes wonderful paper maché art made by the children at ACFFC. Saturday August 1, 2009 from 1 - 6 pm Report presentation at 4:00 pm 1312 Parkinson Avenue, Palo Alto, CA  94301 Contact Jen Pantaléon: jetphire@aol.com 650.359.6225 OR Contact Susan Bradley: sibnotes@sbcglobal.net 650.329.1695 We brought back all sorts of beautiful new art! You will be amazed at the variety of brightly painted recycled metal art, traditional metal sculpture, Vodou flags, candle holders, beaded purses, paintings, paper maché, macrame bracelets, and other wonderful Haitian goodies. For Care Bags we continually collect new or almost new t-shirts, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, compact non-battery games (dominos, cards, marbles, etc.), little notebooks/pens, travel shampoos/conditioners/lotions, and other items such as combs, floss, or vitamin C candy that all fit in a ziplock. Thanks and hope to see you on Saturday! View a  PDF version of the flyer

August 24, 2009

School Sponsorship Program

If you were ever interested in making a tax deductible donation to Zanmi Lakay then now is a great time because school starts next month and we're sponsoring two groups of children. Our School Sponsorship Program is brand new and began during our trip earlier this year. Currently it has eight students signed up, and only six are sponsored. Four of these kids are starting school for the first time, and the other four are in their first years. It is $250.00 a year to sponsor one of these children-this includes school fees, uniform, and books. Our Teens in Transition Program is continuing and has 12 students both in Classical School and Trade Schools. The cost is $300.00 per teen plus $150.00 for shared rented rooms. These amounts do not reflect food and transportation and living expenses. We have options because we want to create easy opportunities for you to help, and somehow all of the children on our list will be in school this year. You can sponsor a child in full or partially, and if you wish we can make the sponsorship personal and give you a photo and information along with updates about the child, and then also let the child know who you are. You can send a check to Zanmi Lakay or donate on our blog or web site. Most of these kids we have known for many years, and the youngest are children of these children. Help us stop the cycle of homeless children in Haiti!

September 22, 2009

Upcoming Ti Maché (little market) Dates

Greetings from Zanmi Lakay! Here are the dates for our Fall and Winter Ti Maché sales. These sales are held throughout the year to benefit our programs for street children. We sell beautiful Haitian Folk Art purchased directly from artisans in Haiti and sell it to our community increasing awareness of the beauty and culture of our neighboring island nation. If you would like to host a Ti Maché in your home, business, or community, please contact us! Come on by to say hello, bring friends, and spread the word! Pacifica Fog Festival September 26 and 27 Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm all along Palmetto Avenue, Pacifica, CA East Bay Sanctuary Covenant's 17th Annual Holiday Craft Fair November 28 and 29 Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am - 3:00 pm The First Congregational Church 2345 Channing Way (at Dana) Berkeley, CA Ti Maché for Social Justice Holiday Sale Saturday, December 12 - about 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Sunday, December 13 - about 7:00 am - 3:00 pm Christ the King Catholic Church 199 Brandon Road Pleasant Hill, CA

November 6, 2009

Help us collect digital cameras for our 2010 Photography Workshops

We are gearing up for our January/February 2010 trip to Haiti and have at least two Photo Workshops planned (with the possibility of  two more) and digital cameras are needed so that every child in the group can have a camera to use. We also need sd and flash cards. All help is greatly appreciated and all donations are tax deductible. Check out the children's work in the galleries.  Thanks everyone!

November 24, 2009

Ti Maché at International Holiday Crafts Fair this weekend in Berkeley!

This Saturday and Sunday November 28th and 29th!

Zanmi Lakay will have our biggest sale of the year at this event, and since we're gearing up for our January/February trip to Haiti we really need to sell some art. Come on over to Berkeley and support the kids and many other fantastic nonprofits selling really great items, have some tea, and do some quality holiday shopping. Zanmi Lakay will have paper maché fish ornaments made by children in Jacmel along with our usual painted recycled metal art, Vodou flags, beaded purses, traditional metal art, etc. Flyer attached to print out and post. This is a free event. Please pass this on!

We are collecting digital cameras for our Photography Workshops with children - please check around for cameras you and friends are no longer using so street children in Haiti can put them to good use!

EBSC's 17th Annual

International Holiday Crafts Fair 2009

Saturday November 28 and Sunday November 29

10:00 am - 3:00 pm both days

The First Congregational Church

2345 Channing Way at Dana in Berkeley

Unique art and world crafts from Africa, Kurdistan, Central America, Haiti, Palestine, Asia, Guatemala, Afghanistan, Mexico, and Tibet

Purchases provide artisans with fair wages and proceeds benefit local refugee work, women's coops in Central America, Asia and Africa, and two organizations supporting children in Haiti.

December 18, 2009

Beautiful Beaded and Sequin Haitian Ceremonial Flags !

Haiti’s Ceremonial tapestries, or Vodou Flags, are sacred banners of sequins and beads handmade by artists with the assistance of neighbors and family members and can take more than two weeks to produce. They are the most celebrated genre of Vodou’s sacred arts. The ritual flags of meticulously sewn sequins and beads form a mosaic (think sequin paintings) that blend traditional African religions brought to Haiti by slaves with the adopted Catholicism of their former masters, and are trimmed with a satin backing and border. They are displayed in the Vodou sanctuaries and carried at the commencement of a ceremony. Each flag depicts the vévé symbol or image of the spirit to which it is devoted, and each spirit embodies unique characteristics. If you have questions about a particular spirit, please let me know. Each Vodou Flag comes with an explanation card and corresponding vévé, and I can email you a description. Haitian Vodou flags have been the center of numerous museum exhibits, including the Sacred Arts of Vodou that toured museums such as the Smithsonian Institute and the Museum of Natural History. They can be found for much higher prices in New York galleries and abroad. Zanmi Lakay supports the artisans of Haiti and their families, not only to keep them working but to promote the beauty and traditions of Haiti’s rich culture. Proceeds from the sales of these flags funds our educational and outreach programs with Haitian street children. Sale price is 20% off description prices, and payments can be made via paypal through this site or by check to Zanmi Lakay. Thank you for your support!

100% beaded Erzulie Dantor by Fortil 42" x 47" - $600.00 SOLD OUT Special sequins and beaded LaSirene by Ann Marie Pierre Moreau - 20" x 28" - $400.00 Sequin and beaded Gran Bwa with Dambala and Erzulie by Georges Valris - 23" x 35" - $400.00 Sequin and beaded Simbi by Gusnold - 27" x 33 1/2" - $300.00 Sequin and beaded (outlined in pearl beads) Baron Samedi with Dambala by Georges Valris - 15" x 18 1/2" - $65.00 SOLD OUT

Sequin and special beads Marassa Trois by SJ  30" x 30" - $450.00   Special sequins and beaded LaSirene by Ann Marie Pierre Moreau - 20" x 28" - $450.00 Sequin and beaded Marassa by Maxon - 25" x 34" - $375.00   SOLD OUT SOLD OUT

January 12, 2010

Earthquake in Haiti

The earthquake in Haiti has been completely devastating. I encourage all of you to seek out information of the widespread damage and ways to help. Right now there is still so much chaos that it is hard to tell exactly what is going on, but we are sure it will be horrific for many. Doctors without Borders and the Red Cross are already working and are a good start. We will also need more help for the hundreds of children we work with. Guy and I were planning on going to Haiti on January 25th and we are still going. Susan Bradley, who came with us last year and is now on the Board of Directors, is also coming with us. Our priorities have of course changed and we will be assessing the best possible ways to help in the coming days. We already have Care Bags, donations, and medical supplies, but will need more funds and are completely open to your ideas and suggestions. Thanks to all of you for your calls, emails, and support. Let's all work to channel that energy into helping Haiti.