About Us

History of the Caneille Regional Development Fund
The Caneille Regional Development Fund is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization which was originally created as part of a senior thesis project at Valley New School in Appleton, Wisconsin. CRDF Founder, Oliver Zornow, saw the impact of poverty in the region during a visit to Haiti in February 2006. After substantial research into the problems of poverty in Haiti, Oliver concluded that the key to escaping poverty in Haiti lies in education.

The Caneille Regional Development Fund became an independent, recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2009. Since its inception, 100% of funds raised are put directly to work to help meet our mission of creating opportunity through education in rural Haiti.

In 2010, our work was recognized with a Giraffe Hero Commendation, given to people who stick their necks out for the common good.

L’ecole de la Grace de Caneille (The School of Grace of Caneille)
Working in collaboration with on-the-ground partners who live and work in Caneille, CRDF was able to found L’ecole de la Grace de Caneille in September 2006 – just 6 months after CRDF was created. This primary school welcomed over 120 students in Grades 1-3 to receive tuition-free education; many for the first time in their lives.

L’ecole de la Grace continued to grow, with the addition of an additional grade level each year. In 2009, we graduated our first group of sixth-graders and sent them to take the national primary-school exam. Thanks to our dedicated teaching staff and commitment to excellence, 100% of our students passed this crucial exam. Each year, we continue to graduate students to this exam and maintain a reputation in the broader region for excellence in education.

The daily operations of the school are supported primarily by our CORE Support Team – individuals who commit to a 12-month subscription of support of $30/month. If you are looking for a way to make your donation dollars make an immediate impact, consider joining the team today!

Secondary Projects
Our structure allows us to be able to identify and respond quickly to needs in the community and school. Over the years, examples of these smaller projects include:

  • Emergency Medical Transportation

  • Community Seed Distributions

  • School Feeding Program

  • Increased Access to Routine Medical Care

  • Adult Education

  • Vocational Workshops

  • Campus Infrastructure Development

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we continue to seek out ways to fulfill our charitable purpose and help the children and families in Caneille continue the climb out of absolute poverty. If you are looking for a way to contribute, please consider making a donation today.

You can read more about CRDF in our Strategic Plan – Abridged.