── OUR SCHOOL

Building Brighter Futures Through Education.

In Trou-Bois, education is more than learning to read and write. It can open a door to possibility, independence and a future filled with hope.

── WHERE IT BEGAN · 1997

Lessons at home became a community school.

Ertha Papillon began welcoming local children to her home and teaching them how to read and write. Many lacked shoes and basic school supplies, so she provided what she could to help them keep learning.

As more children came, classes moved beneath a tent. With the support of donors, churches and people who believed in the mission, the school gradually grew into a permanent place of learning.

── CIRCUMSTANCES

Our School Today

Classroom Learning

Support learning materials, classroom needs, school operations and the environment students need to thrive.

Dedicated
Teachers

Reliable salaries for teachers and staff are one of HCO’s greatest ongoing responsibilities.

Practical
Skills

Sewing, tailoring and technology help older students build confidence and pathways toward an independent future.

── OUR SCHOOL TODAY

A place to learn, belong and dream.

The school serves children from the orphanage as well as families throughout Trou-Bois and surrounding areas.

Classrooms are filled with students learning together, dedicated teachers showing up every day and young people preparing to contribute to their families and community.

── SUPPORTING THOSE WHO TEACH

Behind every student is a teacher who shows up.

Behind every child learning to read, solving a math problem or dreaming about the future is a teacher who believes in them. Supporting our school means supporting the dedicated people who make education possible every day.

Education becomes hope when a child can see a future—and has the skills to reach it.

── VOCATIONAL & TRADE SKILLS

Learning that reaches beyond a diploma.

With support from a matching grant previously awarded by the Franciscan Sisters Foundation, HCO purchased sewing machines and laptops and began introducing vocational and trade skills to high-school students.

Through sewing, tailoring, technology and other practical opportunities, students can develop skills they may one day use to find employment, create businesses or provide for their families.