The COBOCOL Area Development Program, or ADP, will always have a special place in my heart. COBOCOL was the community we first partnered with Fredericton through FreddyLink. This ADP has a total population of about 20,000, living in four small villages and the surrounding rural area in the central plateau region of Haiti.
COBOCOL started in the early 2000’s. When we partnered with COBOCOL in 2010, the ADP was midway on their path to self sufficiency. At its peak, there were about 3,500 child sponsored in this ADP.
Our first visit to COBOCOL was unforgettable. To our surprise, we were greeted by a band playing the Canadian national anthem. What they lacked in technical skill, they more than made up for in joy and enthusiasm, and it was a very touching moment for us. We had the opportunity to meet the amazing ADP staff, and to hear them speak proudly and passionately about their work.
FreddyLink teams have had the opportunity to visit COBOCOL several times since that first visit. It has been inspiring to see the community grow and develop, to become more self-reliant and more entrepreneurial.
COBOCOL will soon be “graduating”. We are honoured to have been their partners over the past decade. It is obvious from our visits to the ADP that our investments have been paying great dividends, and look forward to seeing this community take hold of their bright futures.
A touching welcome to COBOCOL
Building relationships with local staff
