By Sarah Martin | Co-Founder and Director
As the Nation continues to recover from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the south-western coast of Haiti, Little Footprints, Big Steps continues to support and empower the children and families affected. Many families lost their entire means of making a living. Many lost their savings and profits due to medical care and housing repair needs following the earthquake, which put families in an extra vulnerable state.
Impact on Schools
LFBS continues to see an increase in the number of families needing support. Due to the continually increasing value of the USD (and decreasing value of the Haitian
currency) over several years, the cost of living in Haiti has been continually increasing as well. With gang activity blocking regular transportation between Southern Haiti and the capital of Port au Prince, and public transportation often having to pay gangs fees in order to safely pass, inflation has become an even worse problem in the Southern region of the country (where LFBS is based and primarily works). The cost of a plate of food or a sack of rice is approximately 4 times what it was several years ago – and even then many people couldn’t afford it! Following the August 2021 earthquake, the cost of school supplies also increased significantly. As you can imagine, this increase in the cost of living has left families that were already vulnerable in an even more challenging situation.
Children need a safe place to learn and proper nutrition to retain information. With the significant amount of violence and unrest occurring in Haiti’s capital, it is becoming very dangerous for children to go to school in certain regions - and families are increasingly concerned across the nation. The increase in insecurity has unfortunately affected our ability to visit the families we work with in Port Au Prince, however we have made arrangements with the school principles so we can still cover their education costs if they are in an area where school is an option.
LFBS continues to advocate for and support families of kids who have been displaced.
Recent activities
Literacy Tutoring
Many children LFBS works with have fallen behind academically due to being deprived of a strong academic base - especially those children who spent early years in neglectful orphanages, in the streets, or in a restavec (modern slavery) situation. In cases where children are not reading and writing at their academic level, LFBS seeks to employ teachers within their communities to help tutor these children. By doing this we are not only creating additional educational support and activities for these children, but are also providing employment in the community and reinforcing relationships between neighbors.
Many young adults who begin school at a later age are eager to begin working. This is often the case with former street children in particular, who were used to handling money and were often deprived of access to education. In cases like this, LFBS seeks to support apprenticeships so youth can learn skills to become more self-sufficient while they are going to school. This may be an arrangement with a local professional who acts as the youth’s mentor - such as a mechanic or carpenter - in the afternoons and weekends. This provides the young adult with work experience as well.
In addition, we are currently offering literacy tutoring to some of our staff members who want to increase their academic competency.
Families in need of support
LFBS recently received a referral from local authorities to support four children who had suddenly lost both of their parents due to tragic circumstances. The children were taken in by their aunt, but the family is in need of a lot of support. We continue to assess their needs so this family can stay together and work through their grief and loss in a family environment. Education support has been identified as a critical need for these children, to ensure that they children can remain in school and have some stability. LFBS is committed to working with other partners to ensure that these children can stay in a family environment while continuing to have access to education and other basic needs. As we strive to provide an emergency response to their situation, we are also evaluating how we can help this family become more self-sufficient in the long term.
Theory of Change Workshops
Our team on the ground in Haiti has started a very thorough process of undergoing Theory of Change workshops. Every single member of our team on the ground is participating in these workshops, making sure everyone has a deep understanding of all of our programs and why we do what we do. Through these workshops, we’re also taking the opportunity to evaluate each of our programs and identify areas of improvement. The level of participation from our team has surpassed our expectations, and we are thrilled to have their input driving a bottom-up approach to our work. After these workshops are complete, we will be taking action to make our programs - including the education & vocational training programs - even more effective! We can’t wait to have an even greater impact in the future thanks to your support.
Thank you!
Thank you for being a part of our incredible community of supporters and donors. While the situation in Haiti remains complex, because of you, we are making real, impactful, and lasting changes in the lives of children, families, and communities. You are a partner in this work and we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for your interest, support, and caring, and for being a catalyst for change.
Thank you for your shared commitment to our vision that every child in Haiti grows up in a safe, loving, and self-sustaining family.
Upcoming ways to support LFBS
Volunteer With Us!
Volunteers are an integral part of LFBS’ success! We are very lucky to have a network of committed and enthusiastic supporters. Their work is key in enabling LFBS to reach our mission and goals. Volunteering with LFBS will enable you to expand your knowledge of child protection, human rights, and community development in Haiti.
We currently seeking individuals with knowledge, skills and experience in at least one of the following areas:
• Financial Expertise
• Construction/ Building/ Real Estate
• Legal/ Policy/ Compliance
• Fundraising/ Partnership Development
• Strategic Planning & Risk Management
• Human Resources and Corporate Experience
• Haitian Business/ Bureaucracy/ Governance
*Social Work/ Human Rights/ International Development
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