“The best way to develop a country is through the kind of education that changes people’s mentality. CEI’s programs are not welfare. They are not a handout. They are a new kind of development.”

Jean Renel Louis, CEI Music and Art Program Director

CEI Arts Programs:

  • Foster creativity, collaboration, & team work
  • Develop perseverance, discipline, & self-confidence
  • Create sense of civic pride and sense of personal potential

MUSIC

CEI’s music program is the only one of its kind in the region, and has become a well-known favorite, playing at festivals, holidays, and concerts.

Music Program Benefits

(as cited in research by Johns Hopkins)

  • Focuses concentration, increases attention, & improves memory
  • Establishes positive learning state, changes brain wave states, & energizes learning activities
  • Enhances imagination, relieves tension, aligns groups, & develops rapport

ART

Art compels us to empathize with others and to reflect on ourselves and our shared existence. It contributes to the health of a society.

Art Program Benefits

  • Increases desire for civic engagement & greater social tolerance (Brookings Institute)
  • Fosters creativity & sense of personal potential
  • Improves motor control, attention, & motivation

FILM

Films are a vehicle for socioeconomic development, conflict resolution, education & training, as well as a source of entertainment.

CEI partners with MobiCINÊ, MWÊM, and Fast Forward Haiti to bring cultural and educational films to all communities where we work.

Topics include:

  • Health & family planning
  • Violence against women & children
  • Haitian history, heritage, and culture
  • Agriculture & environment
  • Envisioning one’s part in creating a new Haiti