Trauma After The Earthquake
Even after she stopped running, the aftershocks continued. On Saturday, August 14, 2021, around 8:30 a.m., an earthquake occurred in the extreme south of the country. I will tell you the story of one of [...]
Madeline’s Story
When Madeline’s father died, he left her mother with twelve children to feed and no means to support them. So, when a woman offered to bring young Madeline into her household in Port-au-Prince, both mother [...]
Earthquake Relief
On Saturday morning, August 14, the catholic parish across the street from Restavek Freedom offices in Les Anglais was holding an infant baptism service when a devastating magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck. The walls and ceiling [...]
Rural Communities After The Earthquake
I work as a Child Advocate in Port-au-Prince, but I come from a rural place called Cavaillon. After the earthquake hit on August 14, I went to my family’s home and found that almost all [...]
Earthquake in Southern Haiti
At 8:29 am (ET) on Saturday, August 14, a 7.2 earthquake struck western Haiti. Areas like Les Cayes, Jeremie and Les Anglais were especially hard hit. We have heard reports and seen images of chaos, [...]
Summer Camp Changed My Life
"On the first day of summer camp, I made a bracelet...and it changed my whole life at home." When Leyla* returned from her first day of Summer Camp and showed her “aunty” and her aunty’s [...]
Staff Spotlight: Pastor Mendelson
Pastor Mendelson Cesar oversees the Child Advocacy Program and manages Restavek Freedom's team of Child Advocates. He has a great heart for people, and a contagious compassion for children. Enjoy getting to know him and [...]
Meet Claudine
“Claudine was 12 years old when she entered into Restavek Freedom’s Child Sponsorship program,” said Jasmithe, Claudine’s child advocate. “She was living with her aunt, and the situation was bad. Before our program, there was [...]
Thank You Will Never Be Enough
When 12-year-old Abdias first entered Restavek Freedom’s child sponsorship program in 2017, he was well-spoken, but everything else about him testified to his life as a restavek. He hadn’t bathed, his clothes were dirty, he [...]
A House Full Of Hope
When Emmanuella, a Restavek Freedom child advocate, first met 8-year-old Judeley*, he seemed sad and distracted, despite the fun and games of the summer camp around them. He was shy and quiet, but Emmanuella persisted, [...]