Bezeline was a second grader when she joined our program in 2011. When we first found her, she was living in an orphanage because her mother simply could not afford to meet her essential needs. Last year, Bezeline’s older brother was able to find work and offer her a place to live. Bezeline was then able to live her life without wondering when she would have another opportunity to eat or how she would find a uniform for school. However, this change was short-lived. When I was informed earlier this year that Bezeline had been absent from school for several weeks, I immediately called her to find out what was happening. She told me that her brother had lost his job, and he could not afford to buy her a new pair of new shoes. The pair she owned was torn, and they cost ten Haitian dollars to repair; her brother couldn’t afford to fix them. So she was forced to stay at home, while hoping that her brother would find the money. We had an appointment with her at school, and we could actually see that her shoes were completely torn and her feet were almost naked.
While she was talking to me about this situation she was facing, her voice showed how sad she was, and embarrassed about the situation. After my interview with her by telephone, I decided to go out and get her new shoes. Something as simple as a pair of shoes allowed her to regain her confidence. Bezeline is excited to go back to school after being gone and to see her friends again.
When we make a child happy, we are filled with happiness; their joy is our joy.
If you would like to help give a child like Bezeline a pair of shoes, visit https://restavekfreedom.org/estore/all
Robenson Saint-Hilaine, Child Advocate
