The Bel Esprit Cultural Institute is collaborating with Team LGA Change the World to bring over 700 backpacks filled with school supplies for the 2016-17 academic year to children across Haiti through Operation HOPE.

On Thursday, August 11 at approximately 6:31pm, we surprised 135 children in the remote village of Grandbois, Dessalines with backpacks full of school supplies for the upcoming school year. The message to these Beautiful Spirits was: "You were NOT expecting to receive these gifts today. We surprised you for a reason. The lesson is to never, ever lose your hope. You can do anything you set your mind to do!" Words can not express the joy exchanged in giving and receiving.

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The village of Grandbois is approximately three hours from Haiti's capital of Port au Prince. The community lives in extreme poverty, depending on the few crops that they produce for their everyday needs. These same funds are further rationed to send children to school. As you can image, school falls second to meeting the basic needs of food and shelter.