Reunite 75 Exploited Children with their families

It is with deep pride that Little Footprints Big Steps staff members attended the recent graduation of a former street child we worked with who has just completed his studies at a professional school of sewing. We first met this boy at one of our annual Street Child Meetings, where we learned he'd been hiding in an abandoned car as he had an injured leg and was limping. Immediately after that event - several years ago - we'd taken him to the hospital and then placed him in our transitional safehouse while we located his family in the countryside. Several years after he was reunited with his family, he remains a bright example for other street children! With a positive and ambitious attitude, he proudly watched as models wore clothes he'd made at the graduation ceremony. We've been able to provide this student with a sewing machine and now that back-to-school season is in full swing, he is very busy sewing school uniforms and beginning to generate an income with his carefully learned skills. 

Throughout August and September, preparations for the new school year are a big focus for our team as well as for parents across Haiti! This time of year brings hope as students have goals and progress to look forward to... but it also brings stress amidst extreme inflation and increased costs. In addition, over 1 million people in Haiti have been displaced due to gang violence - with over half of that number being children. Many displaced families now find themselves in Southern Haiti or other rural regions, without the resources to secure access to education for their children. 

During the last week of September, Southern Haiti experienced severe flooding after prolonged heavy rains that lasted over 5 days. As soon as the rain stopped, our team was out visiting vulnerable families to evaluate their needs while also distributing school supplies - as most schools were due to open the following week! We were excited and very proud to see several children who were previously in the streets, now reunited with their families and beginning to attend school in their own communities! 

Towards the end of October, Haiti has been experiencing extremely strong winds and heavy rains once again, as it's on the projected route of hurricane Melissa. Schools have been temporarily closed for students' safety as it is requested that people stay home - yet we know that many families suffer when they are not able to make a daily income. There are already reports of over 500 families (over 2000 people) staying in temporary shelters across the Southern Department of Haiti. 

The Little Footprints team is part of a response committee coordinated by regional IBESR, or Haitian Social Services, in the South of the country. We remain mobilized and prepared to respond should the situation worsen. 

We have identified 69 families across Southern Haiti and the Grand'Anse region who are extremely vulnerable, and are assembling emergency food and hygiene kits using locally purchased goods for distribution to these families - which include those families of recently reunited children.

Following the recent flooding, Little Footprints was able to provide 21 children who were hospitalized in the pediatric ward of the public hospital in Les Cayes with access to the medicine and/ or medical exams that they could not afford - while ensuring they were able to stay with their families. In addition, our team identified 10 families in urgent need of housing repairs, as they experience flooding in their homes every time it rains due to leaks in their roof. Two of these families are actually living under tarps. Together with local child protection authorities, the Little Footprints team has also evaluated the needs of 26 displaced families to determine a personalized response based on each family's needs. 

Supporting families is key to ensuring children not only remain protected short-term, but also remain within their families long-term. Thank you beyond words for helping us do this when it matters most.