This is a group of kindergarten children at the Haitian Roots Academy. See that adorable little boy in the middle, winking at the camera? His name is Menlove. Read more about him to learn of just one of the stories we heard while in Haiti last week to remind us that education really does work and that your support truly does change lives.
This is Menlove. He is 4 years old. He lived in the area near the Haitian Roots Academy when, at age 2, his mother died. His father then abandoned him and Menlove was left to fend for himself on the streets. He went several days with out food or shelter. One of our amazing teachers found out about him and asked Isson what she should do. Isson told her to bring him to the school and he’d figure something out. The teacher, with Isson’s support, is now fostering Menlove and he has come to school every day since our academy opened. His teacher says that he is very intelligent and happy. The Haitian Roots Academy is not just giving hope to Menlove’s life…it saved it.
Last week members of Haitian Roots had a dinner with some partners. Shannon sat by a young man and had a conversation with him about his life. She was heartbroken as she heard about his teen years. When he was 14 years old his father died, leaving his mother alone to care for him and his 7 younger siblings. Times were extremely rough for them and it got to the point where his mother felt she had no other option than to place her three youngest children for adoption. The young man said that this, as you can imagine, was a terrible time for his family and that his mother cried every day for months. Upon hearing this, Shannon felt a stronger resolve to help keep Haitian families together.
The next day, coincidentally, she had a visit scheduled with a family in our program at their home. The father of this family was killed in the earthquake in 2010. The mother continues to struggle with a huge weight on her shoulders as she tries to support her three children. But she is making it! Shannon wondered if this mother might not have had the same fate as the first young man if her children were unable to be educated or fed thru the generous donors that make Haitian Roots possible.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN IN HAITI!!!