Boby Duval, is bemused and a little disbelieving that 2010 is over.  “Looking back, I cannot believe that a year has passed.  And what a year it was.” Duval is the founder of  L’Athletique D’Haiti, which is now officially Fondation L’Athletique D’Haiti, a not for profit organization that almost closed its doors after the earthquake of January 12th, 2010.  “I was very afraid that the program could not restart after the earthquake because of such devastation and grief among the population.  But the kids needed an outlet for their fears and sorrow, and they were the ones who came back on the fields and got this program going again.  We were running out of resources to feed all the displaced people who just camped on our fields.  But our friends and donors came through with donations and encouragement and we received what we needed to re-open” said Duval. “Our managers, teachers and coaches deserve all the credit for pushing and pushing the program forward, despite their personal set backs and hardships because of the earthquake. In the end, we forget the trials and just remember their accomplishments and the joy on the kids’ faces.”

In 2010, LADH rose from the ashes of the earthquake to accomplish much more than Duval could ever hope for.  Among its many accomplishments, LADH gives thanks for its sponsors, partners and staff for the following:

• A new recycling and composting center was built in December 2010,

• A 200 bed cholera hospital was built in November 2010

• In August 2010, the LADH women’s team came in third in Brazil in the Homeless World Cup,

• In July 2010, the under 16 LADH boys won the Schwan’s USA Cup championship in Minnesota.  The joy on the boys’ faces when they were playing in Minnesota could be only be truly understood by knowing that back in Haiti, they lived still in tents as refugees from the earthquake.

• A bigger school, still under construction to meet the needs of new displaced students who came after the earthquake,

• In December 2010, the  A Ganar vocational youth training program, was launched by LADH.  This program, in partnership with Partners of the Americas, USAID, and  IDB  will train 400 youths in Haiti for vocational paths, entrepreneurship, or preparation for further education, utilizing soccer as a training tool,

• In November 2010 LADH launched its rural agriculture programs with chicken farming, organic vegetable gardens, and composting,
• The sport stadium is getting closer to completion.  ( Duval met with Dutch investors and non profit organizations in Holland in October 2010 to talk about funding, which will result in a site visit  in March 2011 by the same group)