L’Asile, Haiti
Where it all began

L’Asile, Haiti is a remote, rural town inhabited by 35,000 people and located approximately 5-hours (by car) Southwest of the Capital city, Port-au-Prince. The inhabitants of L’Asile generally live off of the produce of their land and by selling their produce along the main roads that connect the country side to Port-au-Prince. 

In 1996, Christian missionaries Ernst and Claudette Raymond set out to build the first school in L’Asile, Haiti using local labor and materials. Claudette, who was born in L’Asile, inherited her family’s land following her mother’s passing. Together the Raymonds’ had a 6-room school built in L’Asile that supported upwards of 400 students from the surrounding area, from pre-K to 9th grade.

This was made possible by having 3-4 different class sessions throughout the day. Using their own money, and the donations of family and friends, Ernst and Claudette were able to support the salaries of the teachers, provide food for the students, and supply a limited amount of medical supplies for the people from the area. In addition, they built a church on the plot of land (L'Église Ebénézè de Fèvre) that services hundreds of people from the area.

Following the devastating 2010 earthquake, there was an outpour of financial support from the global community to help rebuild many of the damaged regions throughout Haiti. One particular organization, Still Love Haiti (SLH), helped to rebuild the schoolhouse and church building built by the Raymond’s in L’Asille Haiti. SLH is a New York based 501(c) Haitian American organization that was founded in 2013 with the help of the Raymonds’ son Ernst Raymond, Jr. SLH has provided textbooks, school supplies, lunches for the student body and aided in the payment of salaries for the school staff.

In addition, Still Love Haiti was formed for the charitable purpose of aiding Haitian immigrants in need of development. SLH provides education and resources allowing them to integrate more successfully in their new adoptive homelands.