Rayjon Share Care

10/16/2026

Think globally, act locally! 🌍

Join Rayjon’s Local 2 Global Committee on Wednesday, October 21 at 6:30pm at the Sarnia Francophone Centre (901 The Rapids Pkwy #3), or hop on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81287622235

Plan community events, dig into global justice issues, and connect with neighbours who care about Haiti and the Dominican Republic. New faces always welcome!

Details: https://rayjon.org/local2global/

10/14/2026

You're invited to Rayjon's Annual Meeting!

Join us on Zoom on Tuesday, November 3 at 6:00pm EST to look back on the past year together. We'll hear reports from our Board and committees, elect the 2026-2027 Board of Directors, review our audited financial statements, and share our Annual Report, with highlights from the work of our partners in Haiti and the Dominican Republic and updates from Rayjon here in Canada.

This is your meeting too. Come with your questions, ideas, and perspectives. You don't need to be a voting member to attend, all supporters are welcome.

Registration is required: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84114670649
More details: https://rayjon.org/annual-meeting/

Questions? Contact Allison Kingston at [email protected] or 519-381-5929.

10/07/2026

Do you have sunglasses you no longer wear?

We are getting ready for our eyeglass clinic in the Dominican Republic and are collecting non-prescription sunglasses to bring with us. Sunglasses protect long-term eye health for everyone, and they matter most for people who spend full days working in the fields under a strong sun.

If you have a pair or two to share, you can drop them off at any of our eyeglass collection locations below. You can also send us a message and we will arrange a drop-off or pickup.

Grace United Church
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church
In Focus Eyecare (both Sarnia locations)
FYidoctors
Ironworks Health & Wellness Centre
Kniaziew Optometry (all locations)

Thank you for helping us fill our suitcases.

10/05/2026

Happy World Teachers’ Day! 📚

Today, we celebrate the amazing teachers at PLADESCULBA, RSCH, and CNEWC, whose dedication and encouragement help students continue learning, growing, and believing in themselves.

Their guidance, patience, and passion make a lasting difference in the lives of so many young people.

Thank you for all that you do!

10/03/2026

The books are in! These are the textbooks that Mr. Luckner and the Alpha literacy team at RSCH in Saint-Marc will be using with students throughout the year.

Every page was written by the Alpha team themselves and printed locally, which means the content reflects the students' own language, communities, and everyday lives. Locally written, locally relevant, and locally led.

10/02/2026

October is Women's History Month in Canada, a time to recognize the achievements of women and girls and the ways they have shaped, and continue to shape, our communities and our world.

This month holds special meaning for us, because so much of the work we're part of is led by strong, inspiring women. In this From the Field session, women representatives from our partners CNEWC in Cap-Haïtien and RSCH in Saint-Marc, Haiti, and PLADESCULBA in the Dominican Republic share what it means to be a woman in their communities and beyond. You'll also hear directly from program participants as they talk about their challenges and achievements in their own words.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/9U59LrdwvVE

09/30/2026

As we reflect this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we honour the residential school survivors, their families, their communities and all of the children that never made it home. We encourage all Canadians to engage, learn and commit to active reconciliation.

Today is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Today, and each day, we honour and remember residential school Survivors and the children who never returned home, their families and our communities. Let's work together towards healing, understanding, and reconciliation.

09/27/2026

Sunday reading: In June 2001, long-time Rayjon member Dianne McKillican wrote an article for our newsletter asking a hard question about child sponsorship: are we respecting the dignity of the people we aim to support, or reinforcing an "us" and "them" divide?

Twenty-five years later, her words still hold up. Fundraising appeals built on images of vulnerable children haven't disappeared, and the difference between feeling like you're making an impact and actually making one is as important as ever.

We've shared Dianne's original article alongside a short reflection on what it means for our work today, and why we believe lasting change comes from communities leading their own development.

Grab a coffee and give it a read: https://wp.me/pb8awo-1HX

Thank you, Dianne, for challenging us then and now.

09/24/2026

Changemaker Spotlight: Kerlande

This week, we're celebrating Kerlande, a nurse and valued member of the team at CNEWC in Cap-Haïtien.

Kerlande graduated from nursing school in August 2025 with support from a CNEWC scholarship. Throughout her studies, she was a familiar face at the centre, often stopping by to lend a hand.

Today, she works part time at CNEWC, bringing her nursing skills to the nutrition and maternal health programs. She has also become the team's go-to tech expert, helping her colleagues with the digital side of their new strategies of tracking impact!

Kerlande's story shows what we love most about community-led work: support that flows in both directions. The centre invested in her, and now she's investing her skills and energy back into the centre and the families it serves.

Thank you, Kerlande, for everything you bring to CNEWC!

09/21/2026

Peace is built together 🕊️

This International Day of Peace, we honour the individuals and communities working every day to create a more just, compassionate, and hopeful world.

At Rayjon, our partners in Haiti and the Dominican Republic remind us that peace grows through community, education, solidarity, and opportunity.

Every action matters. Every voice matters. Together, we can help create a more peaceful future.

Learn more about International Day of Peace here: https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-peace