This is information directly out of PAP, Haiti

SALESIAN MISSIONS – USA

MEDIA CONTACT: Hannah Gregory

media@findyourmission.org

mobile: 207-632-4604 office:

207-512-2407 http://www.findyourmission.org/

donations: www.findyourmission.org

latest: www.twitter.org/FindYourMission

Link to press release released yesterday (before we got today’s updates from our people on the ground in Haiti/Dominican Republic).

PRESS RELEASE: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/01/prweb3452224.htm

Note that the release says 200 killed at the Salesian Missions campus in Cite Soleil, but we are now estimating it may be up to 500 lost.

Link for those who wish to give to the Salesian Missions Haiti Relief Fund

www.findyourmission.org

WE WERE ABLE TO FINALLY MAKE CONTACT  WITH SATURDAY WITH SALESIAN MISSIONS PERSONEL ON THE GROUND – THEY DROVE FROM DR YESTERDAY AND RETURNED TODAY WITH PHOTOS AND INFORMATION. WE INTERVIEWED A REPRESENTATIVE OVER THE PHONE A SHORT TIME AGO. THOSE NOTES ARE ATTACHED. THIS IS BRAND NEW NEWS.

KEY POINTS:

SOME OF THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST OF PAP HAVE BEEN LOST, AS THEY WERE IN CLASS AT THE TIME OF THE QUAKE ("National School of Arts and Trades" referred to as ENAM or “Don Bosco Institue” locally in P-A-P. Those who were learning the vocations needed to rebuild were the ones in class and lost. At least 200 and up to 500 students were buried in the rubble of the renowned ENAM school. 200 young women studying to become teachers are believed to have been killed with the building collapsed, or are still buried in the rubble. We have received no word that they have received any search and rescue assistance.

BASIC INFO: In the wake of the earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Salesian Missions is working around the clock to pull together emergency response teams and fundraising efforts to assist in the relief efforts. Among those in need of assistance are those at Salesian buildings in the Cité Soleil area of Port-au-Prince. At least 500 students are believed to be buried in the rubble of the compound that houses the renowned "National School of Arts and Trades" and other schools operated by Salesian Missions. Salesian Missions not only operated schools for thousands of students in Port-au-Prince, but services of all kinds for 25,000 of Haiti's poorest children. Funds raised for Haiti relief will go to purchase emergency relief kits, food, tents, bottled water, clothing, medical items and satellite telephones to re-establish communications.

DESCRIPTION OF ENAM/LAKAY: there is a vast Salesian compound: Enam is the high school. LAKAY is the home of the young adult street children program. The first priority is try to re-insert the young adults with their families while receiving guidance and vocational/technical education to enable them to be self sufficient contributing members of society. For those that cannot be united with their families we have a residential program. Fr. Atillo Stra and Bro Hubert served in the LAKAY Program. Also in another section of the compound we have central admisinstration of the Little Schools Program, one of the central elementary schools, a medical clinic, guidance and social service offices, numerous vocational/technical training programs and shops for teens and young adults, as well as well as the main kitchen (23) cooking stations

Links to video:

*please note that the photos and video footage was taken in Feb 2009 – we do not know if the children/students/teachers shown are among those who were killed or those who survived… please use caution with how you report this*

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-391150, http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-391148

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-391100, http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-391097