By Lefabson
Sully, Coordinator of the Music Competition
Translated
by Gardy St Paulin, Coordinator of Church Ministry

The Songs for Freedom
music competition is back for a second round in Haiti! 

This year’s theme is “Leve Kanpe pou
Ayiti yon san restavek,” (“Stand Up for Haiti without restavek”).  Youth from all over the south of Haiti,
including areas such as Chantal, Torbeck, Arniquet and the city of Les Cayes,
came out for the south’s regional competition.
Of more than 100 registered candidates, 78 youth came to try out, and 30
were selected by the judges for the first round of auditions on January 30th.  They were all so excited to be part of this
massive mobilization, using their talents for the benefit of children in
restavek. In a mixture of rhythm, color and style, with lyrics describing the plight
of children in restavek, the talented contestants competed fairly against each
other throughout the first and second rounds.
This year’s competition saw participants from all backgrounds, including
both secular artists and Christian artists from all denominations.

Sunday, February 28th was the decisive
day for the ten finalists, as they competed to move on to the national
competition that will be held in April 2017. Nearly 5,000 people gathered in
the Place d’Armes des Cayes to watch
the regional finale. Not only did the artists show off their talents through
their musical performances, but they were also tested in their knowledge of the
restavek system.  Each artist was asked a
question about the situation of children in restavek in order to prove their
right to represent the south at the national competition.  After three hours of entertainment and
awareness on the restavek system, the judges deliberated, and finally the winner
of the south competition was revealed!  Johanise
Zéphi, a girl from the town of Chardonnières and raised in the city of Les
Cayes, was declared the winner.

After her
performance, Johanise shared, “I already
had a passion for children because I work in a school where I assist preschool children.
I know that the problem of restavek is real in Haiti because I had relatives
who were victims of this system. I think with awareness we will for sure eradicate
this system. Changes have occurred in my environment and especially in my church
regarding children due to my participation in the competition. My biggest dream
is to win the national competition and become an international star who will always
advocate for the weakest.”

Government representatives,
international representatives of Restavek Freedom, police from the Brigade for
the Protection of Minors, the mayor of Les Cayes, and nearly a dozen members of
the spoken and written press came out for the south’s finale competition.  

After the artists’ performances
and a message from the National Director of Church Mobilization for Restavek
Freedom, the audience shared their feedback of the competition. Some said this
show was one of the best in town, gathering together several communities across
the south of Haiti.  Others shared their firm
convictions that this awareness movement must reach all regions of Haiti in
order to free children in restavek from the yoke of their oppression.  

Charly, a high school teacher in
Les Cayes, attended the finale and shared his reaction the day after the event:

“I would
like to respond to this great movement that took place on the ‘Place d’Armes
des Cayes’ on Sunday. Pastor, I simply say congratulations for this initiative.
I think this is a program that should be encouraged. It is exceptional! With
all this mobilization, I am sure that the message is being passed on. Good luck
to all the organizing team of this movement!
Congratulations!”

Together we remember that the goal of all of this is to convince
Haitians that children in restavek have inalienable rights, equal to all other
children, and to persuade those who have these children in their homes to treat
them as their own sons and daughters.  Restavek
Freedom, more determined than ever, began this battle for a change in the
thinking of Haitians and their behavior toward hundreds of thousands of
children in restavek.