P4H Global

Over the past ten years, P4H Global has invested in the capacity of Haitian educators. With the tremendous success of our School Quality Assurance program, the demand for our services has grown exponentially. While our program budget has grown significantly, our operations budget has remained relatively the same. We are being asked to do more without having the financial means to create necessary infrastructure for our staff. Caught between a rock and a hard place, our staff has to endure and navigate the complexities of traveling to all ten departments of Haiti using any means necessary. The funding would allow us to purchase our own vehicles, build out our headquarters to accommodate for our growing number of staff, and invest in the technological infrastructure of our office in Haiti.
We believe our model of development Redefines Aid. With the Elevate Prize funding, the philosophy and practice of Training People to Transform Nations will reach nonprofits across the globe. If we are going to end poverty, then successful methods must be accessible to practitioners in every sector of the nonprofit world. Ultimately, The Elevate Prize would accelerate the rate at which we are transforming lives around the world and helping end poverty.

My name is Dr. Priscilla Zelaya and I am the Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of P4H Global. I received my BA and M.Ed degrees from the University of Florida in Elementary Education and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Education and Communication. Between my Masters and Ph.D. degree, I taught 2nd grade at a Title 1 school in Gainesville, FL. My experiences in Haiti, Nicaragua, and in the classroom have solidified my conviction that education can end poverty. I have a strong belief that circumstances do not determine potential. This has influenced all my endeavors, especially within P4H. We are committed to empowering local leadership and partnering with them through education. I hope to live my life inspiring others to pursue their dreams and use their God-given talents to change the world.

P4H Global is training people to transform nations. In order to solve the complex problems of today, P4H is building the capacity of local Haitian leaders to be the heroes of their own story. Education in Haiti exists...quality education does not. In Haiti, 80% of teachers have not had pre-service training (USAID, 2017) and 25% of Haitian teachers never finished high school (Borden Project, 2019). These alarming facts result in 60% of students dropping out of school before they finish the 6th grade (CRS, 2012). With 51% of the population below the age of 25, this complex problem could quickly turn into a crisis.
P4H takes a strategic approach by training educators. Our staff of Haitian trainers travels across the country, reaching teachers in every department of Haiti to facilitate professional development training over a 3-year program. After each year of training, teachers are continually supported in their pedagogical growth through observation and feedback sessions as well as through distance coaching. Our holistic program equips teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective, student-centered teaching.

Our approach to bringing quality education to every school in Haiti represents the resilience and potential of the people of Haiti. Here are a few distinctives that make P4H unique:
First, our teacher training program in Haiti is led by Haitians. We have emphasized building the capacity of indigenous leaders in order to, one day, work ourselves out of our jobs. Since development starts with dignity, we focus on increasing self-reliance to ensure the sustainability of our work for generations to come.
Second, our robust curriculum, and culturally aware methodology provide Haitian teachers with paradigm-shifting experiences that transform their understanding and practice of pedagogy. In addition to sharing research-based strategies, we scaffold the teachers’ learning process by keeping in constant communication with them year-round. Working around technological limitations, our trainers support the teachers’ comprehension and application of key concepts from a variety of angles. 
Third, the intrinsic motivation of our staff team in Haiti separates us from our counterparts. When P4H Trainers show up at a school, they bring unparalleled energy, empathy, and excellence. The impact? Teachers and administrators build confidence in their ability to positively shape the lives of students and the future of the country. 

We are impacting the next generation of Haiti’s leaders by training their teachers. Moving from rote memorization and teacher-centric strategies to collaborative learning methods and the development of critical thinking is a pathway to long-term change in the citizenry of a country. When you train a teacher, you raise a nation. Teachers steward the minds and hearts of the next generation; they touch countless lives and contribute heavily to the development of citizens. We shape the way teachers shape the minds and hearts of students.