Impact Report - August 2026
Fully Haitian-led Electrical Class in front of the practice wall.
31 Students. 3 Classes. One All-Haitian Electrical Team.
Some months, the numbers tell the story better than anything else can. August had numbers worth sharing.
Career Day on August 1st drew 19 secondary students through hands-on masonry, electrical, and welding stations. The enthusiasm was so strong that the trade school didn't wind down after the event, they opened three follow-on classes and welcomed 31 more students to the Training Center. Eight organizations stepped up to sponsor the Youth Transition Program students. And leading one of those classes, the electrical class, were Vanessa and Jocely, running Extollo's very first fully Haitian-led electrical class from start to finish.
That last part matters more than any other number in this report. Because when Haitian graduates and trainers own the classroom, Extollo is building exactly the thing it set out to build. Not a program that depends on outside help indefinitely. A movement that generates its own momentum.
The Team That Made it Happen
It would be easy to read those numbers and see a program. But behind every student who walked through Career Day was a team that prepared, built demonstration stations, ran hands-on exercises, and showed up with energy and excellence for every class.
The Masonry, Electrical, and Welding teams each delivered engaging, well-organized stations. Vanessa and Jocely didn't just lead a class, they made it their own, working seamlessly together in a way that reflected months of intentional mentoring and preparation. Extollo volunteer, Dan Schulze, started this with Vanessa. She carried it the rest of the way.
And the Alumni Association had a standout story of its own this month. Welding graduate Evens put his skills to work fabricating the steel for the New Roots Haiti Christian Academy — a two-story school scheduled to open this fall. A graduate, building a school. That's the mission made visible.
Champin is Coming to Life
If the trade school was the headline in August, the Champin property was a close second. Extollo founder, Sherman spent time on site this month and the progress was significant. Phase-one fencing began based on the finalized plan. Control points are set in concrete. Corner posts are reinforced to delineate boundaries. The foundation preparation for the first buildings is underway. Two workers were trained to operate the newly arrived Fermec tractor — which finally cleared customs after months of bureaucratic delays — and Georges from the metal fabrication team stepped into that rotation as well.
A drilling contract was signed for the water well. After months of research and conversations with multiple contractors, Fora-Doc brought the technical clarity and scope that the construction team was looking for. Clean water at Champin is no longer a future plan. It's a signed contract.
The septic tank construction has also begun. Street lights are being sourced and designed. The Champin property is becoming a campus in real time, and the team is building it with the same care and discipline they bring to everything else.
A transparent update: despite submitting a contest letter two months ago, Customs headquarters never responded to Extollo's challenge of the overvalued bill on the three steel-structure containers. After months of waiting and mounting storage costs, the team made the call to pay the overvalued amount and move forward. It was a frustrating outcome after a lot of faithful persistence, but the steel building is coming, and the work continues. This is just one of the many challenges to working in Haiti.
A New Supply Channel Opens
Here's a quiet win that will pay dividends for years. Extollo Contractor, Javier Calero, and Project Manager, Jonathan, successfully completed Extollo's first materials import from the Dominican Republic through Optymyst Logistics, a company led by a former Extollo employee. Welding electrodes and electrical wire were ordered, paid, and delivered to Cap-Haïtien within one week.
One week! That kind of reliable, cost-effective supply channel changes what the trade school can plan for and count on. Initiative finding a smarter path forward, and it worked.
Prayer for Junior & Rose
A personal note. Junior, Extollo's General Manager and one of the most faithful leaders this organization has, is navigating a family move on top of everything else. After fleeing their home in Tabarre due to gang activity, he and his wife Rose are now transitioning to a new house, managing a solar system installation, the logistics of moving, and the weight of building a new home in a country where none of that is simple. Junior asked for prayer specifically, for energy to manage it all, and for some restful moments to recover along the way.
If you pray, please pray for Junior and Rose.
A Letter From Makendy
Dear Extollo Team,
I would like to sincerely thank you for the incredible opportunity you gave me to participate in the training program. Receiving my Certificate of Progression is something I truly appreciate, because I know how much effort I put into this experience, and I am proud of how far I have come.
This training was much more than just learning a trade. It gave me the opportunity to discover new skills, challenge myself, work with my hands, and gain a different perspective on my future. The instructors were amazing, supportive, motivating, and always willing to help us learn. I genuinely enjoyed the experience from beginning to end.
As a young person in Haiti, opportunities like this are extremely valuable. This experience has motivated me even more to continue developing my skills and to pursue my long-term goal of studying Civil Engineering. I have also started thinking seriously about creating my own small workshop or collaborating with professionals in my area, and I can see how the skills I learned through Extollo can become an important foundation for that dream.
I would especially love to have the opportunity to continue my training and eventually complete the program, particularly through a Metal Fabrication course. I believe that learning more in this field would help me become even more prepared to build something meaningful for myself and contribute to my community.
Honestly, saying “thank you” does not feel like enough to express how grateful I am. I feel blessed to have been part of such an interesting and meaningful training in such a short period of time.
I also want to recognize the entire administration team. You have all done an incredible job supporting us, organizing the program, and creating an environment where young people can learn, grow, and believe in their potential.
Thank you again for believing in young people and investing in our future. I will never forget this opportunity, and I sincerely hope I can continue this journey with Extollo.
With sincere gratitude
Makendy
You Help Make it Happen
If the stories in this report have moved you, share with a friend or family member. There's always a place to give toward the work that is clearly resonating: the training, the graduates, the campus at Champin, and the team that shows up every single day.
Thank you for being in this with us.
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