Toussaint Cherline
At 29 years old, Toussaint Cherline is one of the older students who has been provided a scholarship by the Raising Haiti Foundation. A building fell on her during Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, injuring her foot and back. Her injuries were so severe that she had to drop out of school for 4 years. She says she is better now, but still has emotional scars, with frequent nightmares about the earthquake.
Cherline is the first person in her family to attend university. She chose to study agronomy because her parents are smallholder farmers and brought her to the family garden from the time she was small. She hopes to start a seed bank and agricultural tool co-op in her home community of Peredo after she graduates so that the community will be able to improve and expand its crop production.
Cherline says, “In Haiti it is not easy for a girl to find help to go to university. I pray that my supporters remain in good health so they can continue helping me and that they have the ability to help other young women attend university.”
