In Haiti this past summer, Shaina Gilbert '10 didn't see images of destruction and suffering. Instead, as she spent three-and-a-half weeks working at a camp she created called Empowering Through Education in Hinche, Haiti, she saw a vast countryside, a vibrant social life and a strong population of hopeful youth. The camp, which is geared toward eightto 11-year-olds, provides students with classes in math, English and leadership training.

Before last summer, Gilbert, who is Haitian and a Boston native, had not been to Haiti since she was eight years old. However, when Gilbert's uncle began working on a project geared towards helping Haitian youth in 2008, she was eager to help.

"My uncle [was] in Florida, and they had ... these trailers that they used for schools. They don't use them anymore, ... [so we had] been trying to get them down to Haiti [to use as schools]," says Gilbert, who is double majoring in Sociology and Health: Science, Society and Policy.

Still, getting the trailers down to Haiti was not as easy as Gilbert and her uncle had anticipated, and in the end, they were unable to do so.

Nevertheless, Gilbert wanted to help Haitian youth, and in December 2008, she had the idea of starting an educational summer camp. She soon started working with her father, who became the camp's overseeing advisor, on the project.

"My father and I decided to do [the camp] in my mother's hometown [of Hinche]. A lot of my mom's family is there, so we had appropriate resources," says Gilbert.

Gilbert's uncle, who lives in Hinche, hosted Gilbert, her father and the other American camp counselors over the summer. Gilbert says that her uncle's familiarity with the community of Hinche was a big asset as he helped them secure a location for the camp and attract campers.

"It was not too hard in terms of [attracting campers]. [The camp has] ... free food, something to do over the summer and academics. My uncle went out to families he knew to gather interest," says Gilbert.

Gilbert had a particular interest in bringing in the more vulnerable children from the area to camp. Gilbert and her uncle did informal interviewing to select the 43 children who would attend the camp.

"We created our own curriculum. I was a counselor at a youth leadership conference. I [pulled] my ideas from Brandeis classes, ice breakers [from being a Community Advisor], asking other teachers, asking the Haitian people to see what they were learning in school [and] just pulling together resources we had," says Gilbert.

After the curriculum was established, Gilbert began recruiting counselors, including Adora Gaul '10, Carmelle Eloi '11, JV Souffrant '13 and Jillian Rexford '13. All counselors are Transitional Year Program alumni and became a part of the camp through word of mouth.

Soon after, the Brandeis counselors began applying for and receiving grants and scholarships for ETE camp.

"I got the WOW scholarship [through Hiatt Career Center] to start the camp. After that, we got money from Haitian non-profits in Boston. Then just small things like tabling, dorm storms and my church [brought in money]," says Gilbert.

In addition to that funding, Gaul received the Rapaporte Women's Scholarship, which enabled ETE camp to work with the mothers of the campers.

"We did a women's group once a week about women's health because of that extra grant," says Gilbert.

When they arrived in Hinche, the group also had to adjust to living without electricity, running water and regular meals. Unlike most college students on summer vacation, they woke up around 6 a.m.

At the camp, Gilbert noticed the cultural differences between American and Haitian children.

"Before every meal they would pray. The first day [after the students prayed] they all looked at me. I didn't know why they were looking at me and then at the food. They wouldn't eat without permission," says Gilbert.

In addition to the Brandeis counselors, Gilbert's father taught math with a retired teacher. There were also two assistant counselors who were ages 15 and 16. The assistants, along with a custodian and two cooks, were paid. This was helpful in creating a few jobs in the area.

The 43 campers all came from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

"Some kids, because of their background ... will be future leaders in the area. And for them to be with kids who are daughters of their servants is amazing," says Gilbert.

Still, Gilbert tried to make sure that no child was treated differently than another. She made sure all the children knew each other's names and made all children wear the same T-shirts to camp.

Some counselors felt particularly affected by certain campers.

"I bonded with a kid named Betasidia. She was very timid, couldn't read or write. She actually worked for her family and was only eight. So, the fact that she could come was great. In a week of the camp, her confidence was sky-high. I really connected with her because she opened up with me," says Rexford.

Souffrant connected with a boy named Lougenski.

"We told the kids we were going to play soccer, and [Lougenski's] skills at such a young age were astonishing," says Souffrant.

Lougenski was not the only student who excelled at soccer. In the evenings, after the sun had gone down and it was not as miserably hot, residents of Hinche would organize mini soccer games called Ti Souri.

The group also enjoyed the local nightlife separate from the kids. They went to outdoor clubs that revealed Haiti's beauty.

"It was a lot of Spanish and Haitian dance music under the stars," says Rexford.

On their night excursions, the counselors got to know the locals, whom they called the kindest people in the world.

"Haitians will give you the shirt off their backs," says Rexford.

Although the earthquakes did not physically affect the countryside that the Brandeis counselors easily came to love, many Port Au Prince refugees have been pouring into the region of Hinche.

Gilbert expresses concern over the large amounts of evacuees in the area but is confident that the camp will continue stronger then ever this coming summer. She and the other counselors, who all hope to return, will be going through trauma training to better prepare themselves for kids who have potentially lost loved ones.

There is also the fear of evacuees still being in Hinche this upcoming summer and potentially using the school that the ETE camp used.

Still, Gilbert is hopeful that things will ultimately work out.

"Even if it's eight kids in my uncle's backyard, more than ever [the camp] needs to happen this year," says Gilbert.