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For Jordani Pluviose, life growing up in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, could be described in two words: Horrific. Hopeless.
His mother left him and his siblings to go to the Bahamas to work and try to make a better life for them. His father didn’t want them, so Pluviose ended up living with his grandparents, who were cold and uncaring.
After his grandparents ignored him and, basically, let him live on the streets — sinking him into depression and hopelessness as he became mentally, physically and sexually abused — Pluviose contracted yellow fever and lost his speech and sight.
When he eventually regained his speech and sight, Pluviose realized that he had one refuge — school, a place where he could get a hot meal (usually his only one of the day), learn to read and write, and have some “fun” before he had to face the reality of his daily situation.
Now, years later, after being reunited with his mother in South Florida, flourishing and eventually earning his BS in Management Information Systems from Florida International University, Pluviose — who has spent the last 17 years working in the Miami-Dade County Property Appraisal Department — is trying to give back to the children of Haiti.
“My desire is to protect children, our most vulnerable, from what I went through,” he said.
“Nobody should have to face that hopelessness. Nobody!”
In 2008, after working with various Catholic charities helping children in Haiti, Pluviose, with the help of friends in Miami’s Haitian community, formed Many Hands International with the stated goal: To provide a free, high quality academic and vocational education for Haitian children to empower them to attain self-sufficiency and to become leaders in their community.
Many Hands International sponsors an elementary school called Ecole Academie Solitarite du Nord in Cap-Haitien. Started in 2017 (with 18 children), the school has grown to 186 with an annual operating budget of just over $33,000. The school provides weekly meals (they’d love to be able to do daily meals) but lacks basic school supplies. Some of the students actually walk three hours to get there.
“Jordani has been a tireless worker for the children of our school and the children of Haiti,” said Many Hands International Board member Kelly Hernandez. “He is an inspiration.”
Because of its fragile financial structure, MHI is always “on the brink.” A donor, who pledged $250 a month — and was matched by his employer — recently was laid off. This meant $6,000 a year less in the budget, a significant “hit” for the school and the reason Pluviose is reaching out to the South Florida community, speaking at civic meetings nearly non-stop.
“This is a critical time in our school’s existence,” Pluviose said. “We simply need help to continue to provide an education — and hope — for the children of Haiti.”
To donate or for more information, visit OurMHI.org or contact Kelly Hernandez, 616-516-2894 or Jordani Pluviose, 305-984-7446.
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