Restavek Freedom supports many different programs that work together to end the system of restavek in Haiti. We have educational resources on the radio and offer Justice Curriculum training at local community buildings to educate leaders and parents about the needs and rights of children. We facilitate child sponsorship programs to support and educate children in the restavek system, ensuring they have a child advocate on their side. We also run a transitional home that provides for children in the worst circumstances, removing them from their homes and providing them with care and trauma support.
All the children in our program are incredibly unique, with lovely dreams and gifts they want to give back to their community. Our team often asks these kids what they want to be when they grow up, and we’re always blown away at the intelligence and charity of their responses.
To see what we mean, here are a few of the things our children dream of becoming as well as several reasons why they might choose these specific professions.
“I would like to be an agronomist to grow plants.”
Haiti is the most food insecure country in the Western Hemisphere, and children in Haiti suffer from malnutrition and anemia due to an acute lack of nourishment. On top of this, Haiti struggles to grow enough food to sustain its people and imports more than 50% of what it is currently using to survive. Intelligent agronomy could have a huge impact on the living conditions in Haiti and would be able to turn around the financial descent it has been on for the past few decades.
“I want to be a doctor because I love helping people.”
Medical care in Haiti is some of the worst in the world, many Haitians struggle with tuberculosis or AIDS and live without hope of treatment. The recent hurricanes have only set the healthcare system on a backwards journey, and global relief is working to build it back up. More doctors could certainly help boost the medical care available to the people of Haiti.
“I would like to become an engineer because I would like to make a huge amount of money to take care of my family.”
Poverty dominates the country of Haiti, and more than 2.5 million Haitians live in extreme and abject poverty. It’s only natural that a child living in this setting would want to provide a way out for themselves and for their families.
“I would like to be a nurse because I would like to help the children who are living in the orphanage.”
Haitian orphanages are mainly privatized and the children in these institutions don’t always receive the best care. Medical support to the orphans of Haiti could provide them with much needed checkups and the care of an educated medical professional could only improve their situation.
If you would like to partner with Restavek Freedom to bring the Haitian children into freedom and equip them to achieve their dreams, click here to learn more about our mission. If you’re interested in sponsoring children, click here to read about how you can partner with us to bring children out of slavery and into freedom.
