10 Years of Ferrier Village

Haiti

About this Fundraiser

Ferrier Village an anti-trafficking initiative of Help One Now – is a refuge for orphaned children who have been rescued from traffickers, or are at a high risk of being trafficked. It is a place where these children will be cared for and restored to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.

The Reality

As the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 77% of its 10 million people living below the poverty line, Haiti struggles to take care of its most vulnerable population. In 2008, there was an estimated 440,000 true orphans (those without both parents) in the country of Haiti.

After the devastating earthquake of 2010, estimates exceeded 500,000. Today, it is difficult to determine the true number of orphans in Haiti. Many other factors contribute to at risk children in Haiti. Parents may not be able to take care of their children because of social, cultural, economic, and/or related health issues. These at risk children are vulnerable to sex trafficking and child labor both in Haiti and across the border in the Dominican Republic. In fact, the 2013 Trafficking In Persons Report states that there are an estimated 150,000 – 500,000 Haitian children living in domestic servitude, subject to forced labor, beatings, sexual assault and other abuses. There is a significant range of at risk children in Haiti.

The children of Ferrier Village generally fall into two categories: those children vulnerable to serving as domestic servants in households, an arrangement commonly known as restavèk (literally, “living with”); and children trafficked for sex and labor across the border into the Dominican Republic. Since Ferrier is a border city, it is a prime location to rescue children in these vulnerable situations.

The Village

After 2+ years of researching, planning, networking, fundraising, building and waiting, Phase 1 of Ferrier Village was finally complete in March 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. Five homes that once sat empty are now full of children and loving house moms. Lives that seemed impossible are now full of hope. We are currently at full capacity with 25 children, 6 House Moms, 1 cook, and 2 Directors. And 7 additional children have been reunified with family over the past 10 months.

Pastor Jean Alix Paul and our Village Staff 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. The children of Ferrier Village are all 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). These kids have been rescued from lives of slavery and abandonment – living alone on the streets at 4 years old without a name; living in a home as a domestic servant at 5; enduring neglect and hunger. 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 were living in homes as slaves.

BUT NOW, for the first time in their lives, these kids are safe. They 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. We are so proud of our leaders and our staff on the ground. THEY are doing this work, and they are accomplishing so much more than we could on our own.

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