Dear Friends, EVERY DAY we get to see the beautiful eyes of a child filled with promise, we are filled with gratitude once again for the journey we are taking with you. It is truly an honor to be walking alongside you in bringing freedom to children in Haiti. This season, we want to give you a way to do something really special. The catalog you have in front of you is overflowing with wonderful opportunities to give hope, joy, and freedom to children in Haiti. I PERSONALLY INVITE you to take a moment to browse the pages of this catalog and see all of the different ways you can give freedom this season. The gift of education gives a child freedom from illiteracy. The gift of food gives a child freedom from hunger. The gift of shelter through our transitional homes gives a girl hope and freedom from loneliness and isolation.
WHO WE ARE
Our mission is to end child slavery in Haiti in our lifetime.
JOIN US
This catalog gives you an amazing opportunity to give freedom to the children who need it most! You can use the suggested gift amount, any of the recommendations, or simply give to each designated offering any donation amount you choose. On behalf of those your gift will impact, THANK YOU. restavekfreedom.org
BLOG restavekfreedom.tumblr.com
GIVE THE GIFT of freedom this season. Join with us, and experience the joy of transforming a child’s life, as we look ahead into the hope of a future without child slavery. Experience the freedom of giving generously so that others can experience love, hope and joy with you.
In solidarity,
facebook.com/ restavekfreedom
instagram.com/ restavekfreedom
TWITTER Joan Conn Executive Director
twitter.com/ restavekfreedom
Greatest Need freedom Fund YOU CAN TRANSFORM lives and help to end child slavery in Haiti through a gift to the Greatest Need FREEDOM Fund. We’ll use your gift where it will have the most impact. WE HAVE HELPED to improve the lives of thousands of children and reached well over one million people in Haiti. Your generous support will help fight for children in restavek, raise awareness, engage host families, and educate sending families. When you give to the Greatest Need FREEDOM Fund, you are giving children freedom from injustice. You are giving them hope and a future.
100% of your donation goes directly to our programs to end slavery in Haiti!
100 % PLEDGE
If you give a gift to the Greatest Need Freedom Fund in the following amounts, you will receive: $55
A Freedom Ornament
$85
Stand up for Soraya, a children’s book written by our Freedom Writers
$160
A Freedom Ornament and two children’s books written by our Freedom Writers
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Today is a great day for me because I have the chance to say thank you.
Carline’s
c
arline was brought to live with her aunt when she was five years old. The only thing she remembers about this day is that this is the day her life of misery began. From the time she arrived, she knew that nothing would ever be the same. CARLINE WORKED from sun up to sun down doing all the typical things that children who are called “restavek” do. Beatings and verbal insults were part of her daily life. Loneliness and isolation were all she knew. RESTAVEK FREEDOM was introduced to her at the age of 10. In her first meeting with her new child advocate, Carline shared how lonely her life had become. She told Shinaida that no one cared if she was hungry or sad. Two years later, when Haiti was struck by the earthquake, Restavek Freedom staff were relieved to find Carline had survived. However, for the next several months, Carline and her host family, like many others, slept under tarps because they were afraid to sleep inside the house. IN THE MIDST of the tragedy, Carline’s sponsor continued to provide for her education, and Shinaida, her advocate, continued to meet with her and encourage
freedom her. Then, a miracle happened. In the spring of 2013, Carline’s aunt finally agreed to meet with her child advocate. THIS REPORT arrived from Carline’s advocate: “Her aunt was touched by our meeting and began treating Carline better at home.” Carline’s aunt stopped insulting Carline and began giving her time to study. She also let Carline make new friends, and for the first time ever, Carline was allowed to talk to people in their neighborhood. Carline wrote the following in a card sent to her sponsor: “Today is a great day for me because I have the chance to say thank you. Thank you for all of your help and thank you for helping send me to school. Without your help I wouldn’t be in school today.” THIS SUMMER, Carline went to the beach for the first time. She is now excited to be back in school and preparing for the 9th grade state exam. Her favorite subjects are French and physics, and she dreams of becoming a nurse. At her last meeting with her advocate, she expressed, “I have become more confident because I understand better who I am, and I feel proud.”
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Give the Gift of hope CHILDREN LIVING IN RESTAVEK face multiple challenges. Oftentimes, hunger, exhaustion, lack of education and attention to personal hygiene are a daily struggle. Providing food gives them the energy to concentrate at school and get through the day. Offering a dress, t-shirt or pair of sandals allows them dignity, and providing children living in restavek an education offers them a future free from illiteracy. In fact, children in restavek have said that the opportunity for an education is the single best way to improve their well-being. A child’s life can be changed by offering them food, clothing and education. They can begin to hope for a future.
Support a child living in restavek
Feed a Child For a Year For a Month
$360 $30
Clothe a Child Necessary Clothing School Uniform
$100 $30
Educate a Child Tuition for a Year Share the Cost
$250 $25
Give the Gift of
love
We currently have two transitional homes, where girls who have been rescued from the worst situations are able to heal, grow, and thrive in a supporting and loving environment. The girls receive a fully-funded education and learn skills to help them build their futures. They experience the love of family as they are cared for by trained, compassionate staff. Over time, we help the girls transition into a more stable setting, whether it be with their family, a caring foster family, or if they’re old enough, on their own. Give the gift of love and belonging to a girl in one of our transitional homes
Support a Girl for a Year For a Year For a Month Share the Cost
$5000 $420 $50
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Give the Gift of
learning
One way we fight child slavery in Haiti is by providing educational opportunities to communities. This allows us to build relationships and engage community members in rural areas where many children in restavek originate.
In both rural and urban communities, one of the hardships women face is illiteracy. Women are often the primary caregivers, and may even be the primary breadwinners in their homes. By offering literacy training, we can both engage and educate women regarding better treatment of children in their care, providing them with opportunities for their families. A one-year course for 20 adults
Adult Literacy Program Suggested Gift Share the Cost Share the Cost
$1000 $150 $15
Because poverty is a contributing factor to the restavek problem, our goal is to empower community members with skills that will help them find employment. Our English classes provide an opportunity to obtain fluency in English while also engaging with RFF staff regarding the issue of restavek and ways to combat the system in Haiti. A one-year course for 20 students
English Classes Suggested Gift Share the Cost Share the Cost
$1200 $120 $85
Give the Gift of
knowledge
Every civil rights movement includes a significant element of raising awareness and mobilizing influencers. We realize that in order to see a groundswell of support for ending child slavery, we need to reach every corner of the country at a grassroots level.
Our immensely popular radio drama called “Zoukoutap” uses the Sabido methodology for social change to provide social awareness messages in an entertaining format. It has reached over 1.5 million people in Haiti, and a new “Zoukoutap” community theater engagement brings the message to the people and engages them as a community to end the restavek system. Support our radio drama for social change
Zoukoutap Radio Drama Engage Ten Communities Engage One Community Share the Cost
$8500 $850 $85
Haiti is a very religious country, and in many communities pastors play a large role in shaping social life. Through our Justice Curriculum, we train pastors and church members to reflect God’s heart for justice and his care for children. We have helped train more than 60,000 people in every region of Haiti. Training on Justice and Compassion
Justice Curriculum Training Full Training for Three Communities Books for 30 People Share the Cost
$5000 $90 $45
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freedom Through Music Our inaugural singing competition, Songs for Freedom, engaged the entire country. The competition featured Chris Tomlin and reached more than 80,000 people. Christened “Haiti Idol” by NPR, this competition infiltrated every region of Haiti. Contestants wrote original songs addressing the restavek issue, and the winners advanced on to the finale in Haiti’s capital.This exciting opportunity raised awareness and mobilized action, especially among the youth and church communities. In 2016-2017, we plan to host our second Songs for Freedom competition throughout the country of Haiti. To do this, we need your help. Give the gift of freedom through music
Sponsor a Regional Songs for Freedom Event One Day’s Event Share the Cost Share the Cost
$7500 $750 $75
my husband and I needed to sponsor a child and that we needed to find a way to get our church family involved. Upon returning home, my husband and I began running the child sponsorship booth at our church. Now, every week we encourage people to sponsor a child or find a way to get involved. Another big way we are helping to encourage child sponsorship is by teaming up with our small group to get two children sponsored through 6th grade by hosting fundraisers while raising awareness. We are almost halfway there!
becoming a sponsor
by Jess Keller, Child Sponsor
i
first heard about Restavek Freedom at my home church, the Worship Center, when a couple of young girls from Allentown, PA spoke about the restavek system. I have felt for a very long time a passion for those in slavery, and I felt a connection with what Restavek Freedom stood for and was working towards. A few months after I heard these girls speak, I was invited by my pastor to accompany him and a few other pastors to Haiti and hear directly from those who work with and for Restavek Freedom. I was amazed by the reality of these children and the conditions in which they lived and who they lived with. I was overwhelmed by the selflessness and generosity of the child advocates and other staff who make Restavek Freedom what it is today. I immediately knew
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I constantly remind myself of the poverty and injustice in Haiti by keeping my sponsored girl’s picture on my fridge. I pray that she will know how loved she is and that God has a purpose for her bigger than she could ever imagine. I feel so incredibly privileged to be partnering with Restavek Freedom, and I look forward to the day when I can return to Haiti and see how God is continuing to change lives in remarkable ways.
I was amazed by the reality of these children and the conditions in which they lived and who they lived with Sponsor a child annually with a ongoing, recurring gift
Fully Sponsor a Transitional Home Girl
$5000
Help Sponsor a Transitional Home Girl
$540
Sponsor a Child
$360
To sponsor a child monthly, please visit restavekfreedom.org/childsponsorship.
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Restavek Freedom 11160 Kenwood Road Cincinnati, OH 45242 restavekfreedom.org 513.475.3710
THE GIFT OF
freedom Looking for an easy way to give a meaningful gift? The Restavek Freedom gift catalog has many ways for you to give gifts in honor of friends and family that will also provide hope and freedom to children in Haiti!
Give the gift of:
Freedom From
illiteracy
Freedom From
isolation
Freedom From
injustice