“BelKan” summer camp for 100 girls in Port Au-Prince

International female empowerment organization, United Initiatives for Peace (UIP), is returning to Haiti to implement a 8 day summer camp and enrichment program for 100 girls within the Port Au-Prince area. The camp, “Bel Kan” which translates to “beautiful camp” in Creole, will be facilitated by 20 qualified volunteers from across the United States and will be directed by UIP founding director Diesa Seidel. “Bel Kan” is sponsored through individual donations, volunteers, UIP fundraisers and Diesa’s “Run for Haiti” (San Diego Marathon) as well as through partnerships with Religious Youth Services (RYS) and The Haitian Academy.

The origins of this venture come from Diesa Seidel’s January 2010 volunteering trip to Haiti. During this experience, she survived the now infamous 7.2 magnitude earthquake that claimed over 300,000 lives and displaced countless others. Diesa has since pledged to host the annual summer camp, Bel Kan, for girls who have suffered in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake. The camp will offer sports, art, and dance activities as well as life skills and the traditional American favorite camp snack Smores. “Our vision is to create a deeper sense of peace, joy, and stability through a fun and interactive summer camp. Nobel Peace prize winner Albert Schweitzer once said that “beauty will change the world”, and that is our hope for Bel Kan.”

About United Initiatives for Peace
United Initiatives for Peace (UIP) is a 501©3 tax exempt global non-profit organization that offers empowerment programs for females through sports (basketball) and the arts. UIP promotes higher education, experiential & creative learning, health & recreation, and community involvement & service work as tools of enrichment to strengthen the lives of young women. For additional information on the United Initiatives for Peace and their efforts, please visitwww.unitedinitiatives.org.