2022 Vocational Training for Families

Day by day, the change you are creating is taking hold !

These summer months have seen continued BIG steps. Following our amazing collaboration with the Clinton Foundation initiative Our Garden Haiti training program that I told you about in the July report, the students did some practicing at the main Transitional Safehouse garden with the local Agronomist/instructor looking on. (photo attached)

Along with learning about gardening, the program included classes in financial management, English lessons, leadership and team work. (photos attached). To support their success as we return them to their rural homes, we will be raising funds to provide some garden tools and to have the agronomist do regular follow up visits to ensure that they are able to apply all they have learned, creating lush vegetable gardens for themselves and their villages.

Less than 4 years ago, Ysaac was living on the streets. Abandoned, abused, homeless. Today he is a bright healthy school student, eagerly completing his school work. Today he attends church and youth field trips to learn about his country. Today he is a youth leader and ‘handyman’ at our Transitional Safehouse that he calls home. Today he has just completed attending a summer long motorcycle mechanic apprentice training – 6 days per week, 6 hours per day. He has such enthusiasm and acumen for that work, he will continue it in the afternoons after school through the year. Today he will see what the future CAN be. Motorcycles are the primary mode of transportation in Haiti. And are always in need of repair – an essential and sound area of work to pursue! (photos attached)

Some of the Little Footprints Big Steps youth prepared the foundations and worked alongside a volunteer group with One Small House Org, a regular collaborator with Little Footprints, to assist building two new homes for Little Footprints families…and learned many new skills. (photo)

Confidence, leadership, dependability, teamwork…these are characteristics built to last a lifetime. Being a positive part of the community does that.  Being able to give back does that. These boys in our Transitional Safehouse - formerly in the streets -  recently volunteered their time to help clean up their city! (photo attached)

We don’t know everything that the weeks ahead will bring, but, because of YOU we know that lives will change. New skills will be learned. New confidence will develop. Their journeys toward being self-reliant, toward providing for themselves, toward independence will make many steps forward. They will learn that they CAN.

Thank you from all of us at Little Footprints Big Steps.

Links:

• http://www.littlefootprintsbigsteps.com

I am excited to share another update with you so that you can see what tremendous change and opportunity you have mobilized in your partnership with Little Footprints Big Steps!

In our April report, I let you know of a Leader/Mentor program pilot that we just had underway. I am excited to share the ‘graduation’ photo with you! These 27 boys spent 3 months meeting together twice per week, to do physical training, relaxation therapy, arts & trades training, tutoring, and more! 14 of the boys have been with us for over a year, and the other 13 are newly rescued and reunited with their families! Yet the most beautiful progress has been seeing the growth and companionship integrated into the children's interactions with each other. Pilot program was done in partnership with the Sport Ministerium of Austria & Hilfswerk Austria! This photo (1) is of the group ‘graduation’ from this pilot.

The school year has just ended and we had over 230 children and youth successfully complete their studies! Several have progressed to the point of being able to attend vocational training this summer or a summer school English program or some of the other collaborative programming we be involved with over the next few months. Look for activity photos in the next report!

Yet another new and amazing collaboration! This one with a Clinton Foundation initiative toward self-sufficiency and food security.  The Our Garden Haiti program leaders will be providing a summer training program in agriculture and financial management to 25 of our children/families. It will have experiential based field learning. An agronomist will work with ground staff and the children, and accompany them during field visits to other gardens in the area. Agricultural experts on soil preservation and resilient gardening techniques will give the children hands on training. The list of programs that will follow this project included: The Good Hygiene & Nutrition: Better Life Program, Entrepreneurial literacy for families, and Ti Jaden A Nou (Our Little Garden) a small scale community garden initiative at selected schools in the area. These photos (2 and 3)are of a planning meeting with the children and parents with the Agronomist and Program Coordinator at our Transitional Safehouse.

With the school year over, summer vocational training opportunities are underway, including mobilizing some of our youth to assist with building two new homes! They will work alongside Haitian construction workers and the volunteer building crew from One Small House Organization – another of our great partners, gaining new skills and confidence. these photos (4 and 5)show this wonderful learning collaboration. 

We don't just want the children we work with to grow physically. We don't just want them to graduate from school. We want them to grow as considerate, caring leaders who have the vision and motivation to help others. To plant the seeds of this growth in our youth, we've started a volunteer program: LFBS youth are working with handicapped children in La Charite orphanage each Tuesday! Proudly putting on their “LFBS Agents of Change” badges, these young men - formerly living on the streets or in corrupt orphanages - are now playing with handicapped children, feeding them, and gently washing their faces after meals. YOU are part of this happening! The photo (6) shows four of our youth leaders in action.

Also in last month’s report, we shared that Vedette was attending her first year of Teaching College. She will be able to practice this summer, with a job…as a tutor for some of the other LFBS children that she had been in the corrupt orphanage with! This is a concrete example that the path is leading to self-sufficiency! Included in the photo (7) with Vedette is LFBS co-founder and head of Haiti operations Morgan Wienberg as well as Eluckson. Eluckson has just finished his final year of high school and is moving to Les Cayes to be in the safe house and enter into an intensive English program for the next 6 months. If he is strong enough in English after that, he will qualify for International Training and potentially get a contract to work on a cruise ship or other employment opportunities!

We hope you feel the pride and joy in the continued progress as much as we do - you have played a big part in all of this continuing! Please share with friends and family.

Thank you from all of us at LFBS

 Karen Wienberg