Founded in 2005 by Grammy-award winning musicians Wyclef Jean and Jerry Duplessis and Hugh Locke, Yéle Haiti is a grassroots, non-political charitable organization focusing on emergency relief, employment, youth development and education, and tree planting and agriculture. Yéle Haiti was profoundly and permanently changed by the earthquake of January 12, 2010. The current programs are a combination of emergency relief and long-term rebuilding. However, two programs continue from the pre-earthquake period: Yéle Vert and the Youth Orchestra of Haiti. On September 27th 2011, The Yéle Haiti Foundation officially opened the doors to thier vocational training program in hospitality with a ribbon cutting ceremony held in Jacmel. Supported by the Ministry of tourism and funded by Yéle Haiti, the “Hospitality Education and Training (HEAT) program is a new, pilot initiative aimed at training 120 students in the core skills of the hospitality and tourism trades. In so doing, the program aims to accelerate job-readiness in the poverty stricken country, and to help stimulate growth in Haiti’s re-emerging tourism industry.
www.yele.org
Hip Hop Artist, Actor, and Children’s author Lonnie Rashid Lynn, known as “Common”, is the visionary behind The Common Ground Foundation. CGF is dedicated to the empowerment and leadership development of urban youth. It consists of programs such as “BE Empowered”, “CGF/ Lighthouse Youth Leadership”, and “Readers ARE Leaders”. In April 2011, The Common Ground Foundation held a gala fundraiser in celebrating women of Excellence and Leadership in Chicago IL. including honorees such as Dr. Maya Angelo, Sherri Shephard and several others.
www.commongroundfoundation.org