On 9 January 2014, Anaëlle Jean-Pierre, aged 20, a former resident of Petionville camp, left Haiti for the first time to sing on stage in Los Angeles (California) with members of the famous alternative rock band U2, at the 3rd edition of Annual Help Haiti Home Gala. This gala evening allowed collecting 6 million U.S. dollars for Haiti, to continue reconstruction efforts and community development. Several American stars took part in this event include : Julia Roberts, Michael Douglas, Bono, Gwyneth Paltrow, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Chris Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky and Chris Martin.

The event, which was held Saturday, January 11, 2014, was presented by the Italian designer of international renown, Giorgio Armani and actor Sean Penn, CEO and founder of J/P Haitian Relief Organization, which launched its humanitarian response in Haiti immediately after the earthquake of 12 January 2010.

Anaëlle Jean-Pierre is a singer in the choir of his church and lived in the Petionville camp for more than three years. In August, just before the family left the camp, she was discovered by world renowned filmmaker, Sam Bayer, while singing in front of her temporary shelter. Bayer was so moved by the power of his voice and the beauty of the song that told her story, that he presented the young girl in his documentary film, which focuses on the residents of Petionville camp and whose first projection took place in the raising event Help Haiti Home Gala.

Note that Anaëlle Jean-Pierre who is a student at the Faculty of Medicine Jeanne Mance for two years to become a nurse lab will return to Port-au-Prince this week with probably full of memories to talk about.

HL/ HaitiLibre