Phase 1 of the village was completed in the spring of 2013, consisting of 5 homes, a community center and kitchen, a water cistern system, and a security wall. On May 10, 2013, we opened our doors to some of Haiti’s most vulnerable children. Lives that seemed impossible are now full of hope.

We are currently at full capacity with 25 children, 6 House Moms, a cook, and 2 directors. And 7 additional children have been reunified with family over the past 10 months. All of these children are double orphaned —without a mother, without a father, and without any appropriate oversight or supervision (kids in this situation are extremely vulnerable to human trafficking). Some have been trapped in an abusive situation, without hope of reconciliation. Some were rescued at the border, thus interrupting the trafficking process. And sadly, a number have experienced the horror of living as slaves. Our local leaders work in cooperation with local authorities, border officials, and the IBESR (Haitian Social Services) to rescue these kids and determine who is a good fit for the village.

And now, these children are loved and cared for by our Ferrier Village staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They are well fed, clothed and counseled. They are part of a vibrant church community, and the ones who are old enough go to school. They have a safe home, a good bed, and the comfort of family. And our commitment to these kids is for the long haul—university, trade school, and employment. We will work to see these children become responsible and productive members of Haitian society.

PHASE 2

Many people were involved in the first phase of this story—spreading the word, throwing garage sales, and giving generously. As a result, a village was built—bricks and stones representing potential restoration. AND NOW it is time for the next phase of this story!  We need YOU to HELP us rescue 25 more children; build a Preschool for the entire community; provide a vehicle and plant a garden for both safety and sustainability; and begin a micro lending program to boost the local economy.

1. 5 New Homes —$60,000

This will allow us to double our current carrying capacity…to rescue 25 more kids! Our leaders are contacted by IBESR on a regular basis with more children who need a home. We currently have 5 kids in each home with 1 House Mom. This will bring our total capacity to 50 children.  All the homes are built with Haitian materials, by Haitian craftsmen…so we're creating jobs in the process.

**(NOTE—2 homes have been funded and are already in the construction process, so total still needed is $36,000)** 

2. Village Truck/Vehicle—$30,000

Ferrier Village desperately needs a vehicle. Currently, one of our directors, Martel Maxime, travels to pick up children from the border or from social services on his motorcycle and brings them back to the village. A truck will give us a safe way to transport children, pick up supplies, and use in case of an emergency.  Unfortunately, vehicles in Haiti are quite expensive, but vital to the safety and security of the children of Ferrier Village.

3. Community Garden —$7,000

This project includes land preparation and cultivation and a deeper well for consistent irrigation.  A garden will provide nutrition for the children of Ferrier Village and a potential source of income.

4. 3 Months of Village Operations —$15,000

When the homes are complete and we rescue 25 more children, we will needs funds to get us through 3 months of caring for those kids while we recruit new child sponsors.  This will include food, water, medical check ups, clothing and shoes, school fees, salaries for additional House Moms, and more.

5. Micro-loan Seed Fund—$12,000

We believe that micro lending, business investment and entrepreneurship can be a key part of empowering leaders and transforming communities.  But projects like this will only work when our local leaders are ready to own them, and when they have the right people in place to manage them.  Jean Alix Paul, our key leader for Ferrier Village, now has a micro-loan team in place…so we are excited to move forward.   

We will start a micro-lending program in Ferrier, managed locally, to boost members of the community out of the poverty cycle. Projects like this improve the overall health of the community so they can meet the needs of the community through its assets.

6. Ferrier Village Pre-School—$120,000

This preschool will be an addition to the school that already sits adjacent to Ferrier Village, and is run by our local leader’s ministry. This preschool will not only be for the younger children of Ferrier Village, but for the whole community.

Good preschools are rare in Haiti, but very important. They allow children to get an early start on their education. They provide moms a safe place to bring their young children so they can go out and work and support their family. In essence, a preschool can play a major role in keeping a family together, and making a community stronger.

Total budget for Ferrier Village PHASE 2 —$220,000