Occide Jeanty - Haiti Observer Blog

Pastor Jean Enock founded the "Occide Jeanty Music Academy" in Cité Soleil in 2006. Cité Soleil is an extremely impoverished and densely populated commune located in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area with an estimated 200,000 people. It was the place where the pastor was born, grew up and spent most part of his life to set up a "Haitian Youth Orchestra" -- the dream of his life. He started with nothing to open up an "alternative paths" to steer away local youths from gangs and violence. His dream took ten years to take shape. Most of the residents of Cite Soleil are unemployed. A majority of Cite Soleil residents are children. 'Youth Orchestra In Cite Soleil' now functions in three locations, give lessons to over 250 students on wind, string, and percussion instruments and they perform in a chamber orchestra, a symphonic band. The students come from extremely impoverished backgrounds; contribute a nominal fee to participate in the program under a small team of part time teachers.

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