An interview with Marie Rosena, one of our Child Advocates.
What inspired me is that I have always loved social work, and I appreciate how Restavek Freedom engages with all social groups in the community; for example, pastors, priests, voodoo priests, and other leaders in matters of child protection. I wanted to gain experience working with people so I could better understand the community and how it functions.
To me, as a child advocate, avanse means starting from scratch with a child and leading them to success. When I meet a child for the first time who has no hope, I begin working with them, encouraging and supporting them. My support brings change in their life, and that change leads them to success. That, for me, is what avanse means.
I met a child who was living with her aunt. She was afraid of people, often stressed, and had little freedom to play at home. But as I worked with her, her life completely changed. When she felt supported, she was no longer timid, her attitude improved, and her family even started giving her more freedom to play. She became happy and smiled all the time. Every time I see her smile, I tell myself, “This is the impact of my work.”
One of the challenges I have faced as a woman working to create change is the lack of resources to fully support children in Haiti. Due to the degree of poverty in many of the communities we work in, children often go to school hungry and spend the whole day without eating. I remember I once visited a child at school who was experiencing a stomach ache. When I asked her about it, she told me she hadn’t eaten for two days because her aunt was out of town. In many cases, we avoid handing out money to children personally, but in this specific situation, I felt compelled to help her buy something to eat so she wouldn’t go even longer without food. Since that day, she always expresses her gratitude and appreciation toward me because, in her eyes, I helped her when no one else could. Despite some of the barriers I face, I continue to overcome challenges by taking action where I can and reporting what I cannot handle. But no matter what, I always try to remain positive about children’s situations.
One of the women who has inspired me to become a leader is my aunt. She is an incredibly hard worker and is always teaching and encouraging others to learn and work hard. I remember when she was very sick with breast cancer, and the pain she was experiencing at the time was severe. But she never gave up. She never stopped fighting, up until the point she beat cancer. Because of this, she is always happy to see other people succeed.
My message to young girls is to go to school and create opportunities. Life is difficult, but always have hope—if you are educated and creative, you can build a better future.
I met a girl who was in despair. Her parents had passed away, and she lived with an aunt who treated her poorly. She had no freedom. Although she went to school, she was never given time to study or do her homework. Since I started working with her, there have been many changes. First, her family began to see her differently and treat her better. She no longer felt alone and she knew that someone cared about her. She gained confidence, became happier, and even started looking healthier and cleaner. Her family also changed their behavior. They started allowing her to attend school and tutoring when she needs it.
One thing I would like the world to know about the strength of Haitian women is that we are strong, hardworking, and capable of great success. Not only in our country but wherever we go, we can work hard and succeed. Haitian women are powerful, and when we come together to accomplish something, we make it happen.