Dear Serge,   First of all, there is no need to challenge me. In the past, I have worked on many projects in Haiti which have not succeeded due to institutional barriers and other constraints.  I would not engage in any project in Haiti if I don't have a minimum guarantee of success, otherwise it would be a waste of time.  You have certainly done a SWOT analysis of your project proposals, you must know that in a country such as in Haiti, there are many obstacles in implementing sound and viable projects.   What you are suggesting to me, I have already tried many times, and this will not eliminate the underlying problems, one of which was pointed out by Clinton and which I acknowledge as true.   I challenge you instead not only to come up with a plan and implementing it, but to succeed in it.  I would not formulate a project solely for the sake of having a project. First I would need to define the  indicators for its success while taking into account its _base_lines.  A good project needs human and financial resources as well as local support at all levels without fear of boycott.  You seem to think it is easy, it isn't.  The type of projects that would make a difference in the lives of the mass (water, electricity, education, environment) needs heavy investments that our small pocket cannot afford.  Your project would be sitting in your drawer for years until your grandchildren take over and share your dreams.  Moreover, even if you were to succeed in one of these areas, most probably, it would not be a benevolent undertaking but rather an entrepreneurial initiative mainly motivated by profits.  In order for us to develop projects on  a larger scale gearing at helping the poor, you would need the harmony and love of one another to achieve this, but it is missing among us, so is our ability to mobilize resources among ourselves.    I would definitely volunteer in any philanthropic efforts gearing at enhancing the living conditions of the people. I have done so in the past. I am not business oriented.  I am however realistic, I will not develop projects for instance where housing are built for the mass, or a water resources project or building a public school -but this is the type of projects that can have greater impact. For these, you would need expertise, willing volunteers, financial resources which you will not be able to collect from Haitians abroad or inland.  So what exactly you are talking about?  The Haitian Government has a role to fulfill and has been vegetating and not assuming ever its responsibility towards the neglected mass.   Those who have succeeded in smaller scale projects are phenomenal considering the constraints but the impact is meager and is not visible also because there is no unity and coordination between different groups.  Unless you are  giants such as Ted Turner who donated 1 billion to the UN, or Bill Gates Foundation or Georges Soros who can defy the bottlenecks by virtue of their millions or billions, your chance of making a real impact on the lives of the poor majority is relatively slim.   By the way, Serge, I am apolitical and would always work in an atmosphere of non political partisanship.  You have been brandishing your affiliation or your soft spot for the lavalas movement, one that has failed, thus I would not take part in any projects _link_ed to this movement or anyone espousing these fake ideals of popular concerns.   One way of contributing in uplifting the mass is to develop a project by which a public school system could be put in place giving access to all children mandatory primary education to begin.  Such projects would have to be large scale and spearheaded by the Government and not by individual groups otherwise, the project would not be sustainable.  Education is the first step towards improving the living conditions of the mass and should encompass civic and environmental education.   I have participated in a project which consisted of  working with the board of education to introduce mandatory environmental  curriculum in the school system.  Environmental education is important to raise awareness on our ecological situation.  Unfortunately not one single school responded.   Of course, collaborating with the board of education was not at all easy.   The second priority should be an investment in social housing.  Can private citizens invest in such projects?  Of course not.  In every country around the globe, it is the responsibility of the Government.  You seem to think that you can replace the government.  You will never succeed my dear Serge.  What you need is to elect good, progressive and geniuses in government who see the interests of the country and the need to invest in social development of the mass.    I have noticed for every idea generated in this forum, you always respond suggesting to translate it into a project.  I understand your eagerness to see change at the level of the excluded majority and I admire that.  Somehow this is not the way to go, change will not happen with project ideas on paper alone although it is one of the step.  We should ascertain the feasibility of a project, whether it has a chance to succeed knowing that the bottom line for implementing it, is financial resources and expertise, and not family and friends and begging otherwise, you would be wasting your energy.    Emmanuelle Gilles     ________________________________ De : Serge Pierre-Pierre < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it À : Vinoush Vinoush < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Haiti Connexion < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Haiti-Nation Haiti-nation < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Débats Nasyonal < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Republic Of Haiti < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Haitian Advocacy < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Envoyé le : Vendredi, 24 Juillet 2009, 5h47mn 42s Objet : RE: [VINOUSH] Bill Clinton says surprised by discord in Haiti (fwd) Remarque : un mail transféré est joint à ce mail. You chose to allow This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it even though this message failed authentication Click to disallow