News

September 9, 2006

Yéle Haiti and Comcel Host Parade, Ceremony and Championship Soccer Game

Representatives from 16 Yéle Haiti projects to parade in Petion Ville
followed by ceremony and soccer match

Port-au-Prince, Haiti – September 9, 2006 – Wyclef Jean's foundation, Yéle Haiti, will hold a series of events: an All Star soccer match, a parade in Petion-Ville and a ceremony with distinguished speakers as part of the 2006 Yéle Haiti Regional Soccer Championship. The tournament which began on August 22 nd, will conclude on the weekend of September 16- 17th with a final championship match.

Approximately 400 Yéle Haiti project representatives will parade in Petion-Ville highlighting the 16 projects sponsored and supported by the organization in the country. Each project is unique, but together; embody the progress that has been achieved in Haiti since the inauguration of the organization on January 2005.

During the ceremony, representatives from the 16 different Yéle Haiti sponsored projects will describe and introduce their activities to the spectators. Petion Ville Mayor, Maurice Prosper, Lesly Jean Laurent from the Petion Ville Soccer League, Riro Dominique, Yéle Haiti Championship Director, Marilou Russo, Public Relations Director for Comcel and Cinthia Thebaud, Yéle Haiti Board Member, will take turn in introducing the project representative speakers.

The Official Sponsor of the 2006 Yéle Haiti Regional Championship is Comcel. Additional corporate sponsors include Valerio Canez, NY Red Bullls, G&R Auctioneers, Tropic S.A., Tchako S.A., Aquafine and Tampico. During the final match the winning team will be awarded with a Grand Prize of US $1, 000.00, a first place trophy, a Yéle Haiti/Comcel plaque, Voila cell phones and phone cards for each player and championship medallions. The second place team will receive US $500, Voila phone cards, a Yéle Haiti/Comcel plaque and a second place trophy. The third place team will receive a third place trophy. All 20 teams will be awarded Yéle Haiti certificates.

Corporate sponsors also offered promotional items: Comcel offered Voila phone cards, Tchako SA and Valerio Canez sponsored the soccer uniforms sets for the 8 teams that qualify for the quarter finals, Mega Rice donated 1 lb bags of rice and t-shirts, Aquafine provided the players with water, 4C donated vitamins and Brasserie la Couronne provided t-shirts and school bags while a DJ entertained the animated 4,000 daily fans at the weekly sold-out games.

In the spirit of the Haitian culture, Yéle Haiti has fused together sports, music and the media to create a positive movement that has enabled people to rise above adversity and also increase the impact of Yéle Haiti's projects in the country. In doing so, Yéle Haiti is bringing together people from all levels of Haitian society to achieve a common goal of unity and progress for all.

"Yele" means a cry for help and the logo symbolizes "stop the violence" with one hand, peace with other and the heart represents love. The event on Saturday will stand for Yéle Haiti's achievements and future goals in line with its non-violence mission.