As Hurricane Matthew traveled over their home, the girls of Lidè distracted their worried minds with the artistic tools taught in their Lidè workshops. The days following Hurricane Matthew they continued their artistic pursuits, creating posters and other crafts to provide vital information to isolated community members. In response to the storm’s destruction, Lidè is teaching girls how to play a vital role in the health of their communities, focusing on disease prevention, educational outreach, and isolation reduction.

With an accelerated rise in Cholera cases and a concern for increasing Zika and Malaria cases, due to contaminated waterways, the girls of Lidè have learned about causes, symptoms, prevention, and treatment for these illnesses. Lidè is also planning a training series to help teachers understand possible paralyzing effects of traumatic experiences on youth and how pedagogical methods can build resiliency.

Lidè is seeking donations to assist in these initiatives and efforts. Tax-deductible donations can be made here: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/177279

The following materials are urgently needed and donations are being accepted in Los Angeles until November 20th:

* Mosquito nets
* Women’s multivitamins with iron
* Children’s chewable vitamins
* 3 iPads (used is fine)
* Art materials
* Digital cameras (must be in working condition) with 12 or more megapixel imaging

The Lidè Haiti Foundation is an educational initiative in rural Haiti that uses the arts and literacy to empower at-risk adolescent girls and help them transition into school or vocational training. It is their belief that arts education inspires personal empowerment, resilience and self-efficacy. Lidè currently serves five hundred girls in the remote Artibonite region with a staff of thirteen Haitian teachers.