By Heather Gentzel,
Communications and Child Sponsorship Coordinator
You may have already known we are an international organization, led by Haitians with a small support staff in the U.S., but did you know we have freedom partners all over the world? We decided to check in with some of our international child sponsors, hailing from New York and Canada to Europe to Australia and Asia, and even a volcanic island in the middle of the Indian Ocean! We’re thrilled to let them share how and why they got involved in ending child slavery in Haiti!
How did you find out about Restavek Freedom?
Sylvie (France): We visited Haiti in 1999, and discovered a very endearing country and its people…from this journey we always kept an interest in Haiti. One day I read an article in the newspaper about Haiti and these children called “restavek”. I was really moved by the lives of these children, most of them girls treated as quasi slaves. I did some research on the web and found out about the activities of Restavek Freedom and decided to help a girl.
Kelly (Australia): I was reading about the 2010 earthquake and clicking around and saw some articles on restaveks and then Restavek Freedom. I couldn’t believe that child slavery was a thing in this day and age.
Bianca (Mauritius): I saw a documentary years ago called “Common Dreams”, a CNN Freedom Project about Haitian children being forced into slavery.
Minna (Finland): My family watched a BBC program that was hosted by Simon Reeve and heard about the restavek problem through that show. In Finland there are a lot of sponsorships for developing countries…but I wanted to raise awareness of restavek because in Europe this is not widely “advertised.”
Nathan (England): I’ve always admired the Haitian people and yet always felt that they have also been hard done to. I can’t remember how I came across your charity as clearly you don’t do that much advertising in England, which is also one of the reasons I’ve chosen to try and help.
Why did you decide to sponsor a child through Restavek Freedom?
Robin (Singapore): I liked the mission of Restavek Freedom…I like playing a part in helping to end the practice of restavek in Haiti.
Maria (Italy): I appreciate that you help the children get an education. I was born in Naples and now I live in Rome…children were not slaves in Italy, but I remember when I was young they worked a lot, in coffee houses and restaurants, in the fields and in industries, and girls in the homes. This hindered their education and their lives could be extremely difficult.
Simon (Canada): I found out about Restavek Freedom when I went with my family and a mission team from my church to Haiti for 10 days. I hadn’t been to a third world
country before my trip, so it was a real eye opener to how blessed I really am. I saw that I don’t really have anything to complain about. Now I want to try to help more with giving and hopefully make someone’s life better.
Bianca (Mauritius): I was so touched by the story I heard that as a mother of two I decided that even being so far from Haiti I could do my share and help one at least one child to get a proper education.
What do you like best about being a sponsor through Restavek Freedom?
Ian (England): It enables me to make a difference in a child’s life.
Noemi (Spain): I like being able to help children that need it and getting to know more about them and their country.
Simon (Canada): I think what I like the most is I can help a guy who is the same age as me, hopefully help him start a better life.
Eric (Belgium): To think I have a chance to give a better life for Rolande…I really enjoy receiving news and pictures from her and I’m waiting for the time she’ll leave her host family.
Chris (New York): I’ve sponsored Lovely a few years now, and just adore her…watching Lovely progress has been fantastic! I was horrible at math and science and when I
read from her child advocate that she does so well in math, I just burst with pride.
Bianca (Mauritius): I think getting regular news on Jean Wendy’s progress and his dreams is the best reward one can get as a sponsor.
How do you spread awareness about the restavek situation?
Chris (New York): I have Lovely’s picture framed in my apartment and see her pretty face every day. I also have all of her updates from Osbert in a file in my office…I
always tell my family and friends and co-workers about Lovely whenever I get a card or an update.
Noemi (Spain): More than anything through Facebook, and also sharing with people what a wonderful experience it is getting to sponsor a child.
Minna (Finland): Every time we get news from our sponsored child, I put a picture of her message on Facebook and my daughter shares at her school about restavek.
Kelly (Australia): I am currently writing a novel about a child in restavek, I hope one day to get it published and hope this would help raise awareness.
We are so grateful for each of these dedicated child sponsors, and for all of those who are partnering with us! Join our amazing sponsors from all over the world in bringing freedom to children living in restavek in Haiti. Sponsor a child today!
