February 2012
1 post
August 2011
1 post
June 2011
1 post
7 tags
May 2011
1 post
March 2011
2 posts
7 tags
Elizabeth reflects on Winterfest in Rochester, NY
A few months ago we created an interactive exhibit for Unbound, a student-led movement that helps people get involved in fighting modern day slavery. We shared Restavek: A Day in the Life at their annual conference and also at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center here in Cincinnati. It was so impactful that we are now getting many requests to bring the exhibit to other places.
A few...
Great meeting with parents, from Francoise.
Francoise, one of our Child Advocates in our Port-au-Prince office, writes about a recent meeting with host parents.
> Last Thursday, Nadine and I organized a meeting with some of the host parents of our children. The main goal, it was to talk them about the exam results of the kids. We believe the children can do better and wanted to motivate the parents to take their own responsabilities...
February 2011
1 post
Theories and Reasons
From Roslyn…
In my epidemiology classes we talk about infectious diseases mostly as they apply to developing countries. There are always numbers thrown around—as they apply to public health. As someone who has seen a little of the realities behind these numbers, I often find myself defending them. I get defensive because I know that many who have not seen the context will only see the...
January 2011
2 posts
Reflecting on the year since the earthquake
From Joan Conn, Executive Director
This coming Wednesday marks the one year anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti - a day likely all of us remember, whether we saw it on tv or lived through it in Port-au-Prince. It is painful to revisit those images and we are all remembering friends and family and children we have lost.
As the media come to take stock of what has changed since last...
December 2010
1 post
October 2010
2 posts
Literacy Program Graduation
From Djougine Desrosiers, Special Projects Coordinator in Port-au-Prince. Djougine lead the Foundation’s pilot literacy project this summer.
Recently, on a rainy day in the hills of Fontamara, forty-five women walked to take their first academic diploma. They had learned their letters, numbers and for the first time in their lives, they could write their own names.
About a decade ago, the...
June 2010
2 posts
February 2010
7 posts
4 tags
Latest Update from Haiti
Latest update from Haiti:
“More than two weeks after the earthquake, several hundred people are still camping in the Nazarene grounds where we have our office. Some have called their friends and relatives who were at other camps to come and join them. I spoke to 35-year-old Marjorie who arrived here three days ago from Place Boyer, a tent city in Petion-Ville. “Here, the facilities are...
January 2010
22 posts
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Latest Update from Haiti part 11
We were able to speak with the team in Haiti last evening. They seemed to be upbeat and doing well after a productive day.
“Although our food supply is running low, we were still able to feed quite a few people today. We spoke with Manouchka’s owner today. They were very clear about not wanting her, explaining how she is just another mouth to feed and that she is of no use to them...
Latest Update from Haiti part 10
Here’s the latest from our team in Haiti
“Yesterday we went to the airport with Ray, Clint and Lance to pick up surplus food . Tons and tons of food and water just sat there in the sun. Loose bottles of water were all over the road. Unfortunately we returned empty handed. US.soldiers told us they didn’t have any surplus food. Our food supply is getting low. We delivered beans...
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Latest Update from Haiti part 9
We wanted to share a powerful, personal message we just received from our team in Haiti about the ongoing relief efforts for children in restavek:
“You know our hearts belong to children in restavek, so I found myself observing the treatment of children at the Nazareen compound. Yesterday I observed a girl, watching her family eat spaghetti. She was the ONLY one not eating! This morning I called...
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Latest Update from part 8
UPDATE: VIDEO OF OUR CHILDREN IN RESTAVEK FOUND!!! VIDEO LINK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roDm1zuy3ak
Roslyn Phillips, In-Country Project Manager, Quote of the Day:
“It was amazing that we found them! I had wanted them to be in the program so bad. It is a relief to find that they are alive. All the parents were running to find their kids and we are these kids parents now.”
...
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Quick Update! Please Read
As you know, the immediate needs of our foundation are constantly changing in order to aid in the urgent needs of the Haitian people and children. Cash and Fuel continue to be an urgent need for our team at this time. Here is the most up-to-date listings of immediate needs and ones we can put on the back-burner for now:
IMMEDIATE NEEDS:
CASH!! Although resources are coming into Haiti, the...
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Latest Updates from Haiti part 7
Update on Restavek Freedom’s staff and children:
We wanted to provide you with an update from Joan Conn, Executive Director of Restavek Freedom, who is on the scene in Port au Prince. Here are some quick update bullet points:
We did purchase a truck today that will give us more capacity to help those in need on the ground in Port au Prince, Haiti.
We have connected with a man named Joel,...
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Latest Update from Haiti part 6
We wanted to provide everyone with a quick update on our staff in Port au Prince:
We have confirmed that a three man team landed in Port au Prince. They are with Ray and Joan Conn and in route to the compound that the Foundation is operating out of at this time. This team was able to bring in a small amount of much needed supplies to assist with our current relief efforts. They are also...
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Latest Update from Haiti part 6
PROOF!! Many of you are probably asking, “How far does my dollar go to helping Restavek Freedom?” Well, we have an answer! We wanted you to hear it straight from the compound our staff is coordinating out of in Port au Prince, Haiti. Below is an email we JUST received from Joan Conn, Executive Director of the Restavek Freedom Foundation who is stationed at the compound.
“Just...
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Latest Update from Haiti part 5
Casting a Ray of Light During a Moment of Darkness: The Restavek Freedom Foundation Responds:
As each day unfolds, it is a scene of horror and devastation. Desperation, frustration, anger and anxiety set in and many who have been looking for love ones are starting to lose hope. There has never been such a devastating event in our lifetime in such a concentrated area and it has left many across...
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Latest Update from Haiti part 4
We wanted give everyone a brief update on the situation unfolding at our compound in Port au Prince. Joan, Ray, and the rest of the staff are currently doing whatever they can with the resources available to aid an estimated 400+ Haitians and children at the compound. We are in DESPERATE NEED of the following things:
1. CASH!! It is hard to get resources into the area, but they can buy things,...
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Latest Update from Haiti part 3
We have some quick updates and corrections to make to the news we are receiving fromJoan Conn out of Port au Prince. We now know that Coleen, Oscar, Ros, Jean Marie and Francoise are OK! We still have no word from Nadine and Edvard. Our offices survived the earthquake, contradicting our first report. This is great news as we now have a base to work from and move forward in assessing how we...
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Latest Update from Haiti part 2
Latest Update from Haiti via email
Ray Conn and Jean Marie were able to find JM’s wife and baby and drove them back to Port Salut. Joan is already in Port Salut and is working to assess the foundation’s next move to help the children in restavek. Ray is going back to Port au Prince tomorrow.
We will update you on more details as we receive them.
Thank you for your continued...
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Statistics on Children in this Disaster
Here are just a few statistics to keep the reality of the situation for our restavek children in mind as they are MORE vulnerable than ever in these destressing times.
An estimated 2 Million children have been affected by this disaster in Haiti
Half the Haitian population is under the age of 18!
44% of the children in restavek we support live in and around Port au Prince.
Majority of the...
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Latest Contact Update from Haiti
Latest Update:
Our team is in Haiti trying to assess the situation and contact our local Haiti staff members. We are unable to get in contact with three of our staff members missing in Port au Prince. Ray Conn is also trying to connect with Junior in Port au Prince as we speak. Joan Conn is in Port Salut keeping us up-to-date via email. She says that the biggest issue is logistics - no space...
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Relief Efforts in Haiti: Ways YOU can help us!
First, on behalf of Joan and Ray Conn and our whole Restavek Freedom Foundation staff, we would like to thank everyone who has made a contribution and is helping to spread the word of our relief efforts. At this time, Joan, Ray and their son Clint are working hard to locate our 4 missing Haiti staff members in Port au Prince and are trying to provide the people of Haiti with food and resources. We...
Update on Relief Efforts in Haiti
The latest news updates on our staff and relief efforts is now on our website: www.restavekfreedom.org
Please spread the word!
The Restavek Freedom Foundation Staff
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Haiti's Darkest Hour: The Restavek Foundation's...
At this very moment, one of the direst of situations is unfolding only two hours off the shore of Miami, Florida. For the people of Haiti, tonight is one of the darkest nights in the history of the country. Only when the sun comes up will the world get a sense of the extent of the devastation left behind by a 7.0 earthquake that hit the country only hours ago. Though not much is known at this...
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Speaking Engagement Update
Jean Robert Cadet’s next speaking engagement will be held at:
EVENT: Child Servitude in Haiti - (The Restavec System)
DATE: February 18,2010 TIME: 6-9pm
PLACE: Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs 420 West 118th Street New York, NY 15th Floor
Goals of the Event:
The goal of the event is to educate attendees about the general current state of affairs in Haiti,...
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The Restavek Foundation: A Year in Review
Dear friends:
It has been three years since the Foundation’s incorporation and so many good things have come our way during this time. I am writing this letter to THANK YOU for believing in us and supporting our efforts even when we had yet to prove ourselves. None of our accomplishments would have been possible without your continued encouragement. We have been fortunate to have an army of...
