September 2024 Newsletter
Join Us in Celebrating 10 Years of Haiti Mama !
As we mark a decade of transformative work in Haiti, we invite you to help us continue our mission. We’re launching a $10,000 fundraising campaign to empower more children and families in 2025. Your support will help expand our Artisans Collective Network and provide crucial training for teenagers and families to secure dignified employment.
Over the past 10 years, Haiti Mama has tackled a sobering reality: more than 80% of children in orphanages are not orphans but victims of family poverty. In response, we partnered with the Haitian government to close three problematic orphanages and reunite over 100 children with their families.
Under Tausha Pearson’s leadership, we pioneered foster care in Haiti, training 15 foster families and giving over 30 children the opportunity to thrive in loving homes. We also established a Disability Care Center, providing specialized care and advocating for the inclusion of children with special needs.
In 2020, we expanded our mission to support families and young adults by launching the Bel Bagay Artisan Workshop and the Mama Box subscription, creating more than 30 jobs and supporting over 10 other local businesses.
As we look back, we’re incredibly proud of our impact—reuniting over 100 children with their families, supporting more than 100 families, and creating over 30 jobs and micro-businesses. But our work is far from done. In the next decade, we aim to empower at least 100 more children and families, helping them secure employment and build a brighter future for Haiti.
This is where we need your help. To celebrate our 10th anniversary and fuel our 2025 goals, we’re launching an End-of-Year Campaign with a goal to raise $10,000. Your support is crucial. Every donation brings us one step closer to empowering more children, supporting more families, and creating lasting change in Haiti.
Here’s how you can make a difference:
Donate to our End-of-Year Campaign: Every contribution, big or small, makes an impact. Please share it with your network!
Purchase and gift a Mama Box: A meaningful gift that supports Haitian artisans and families.
Offer a Mama Box subscription: Available quarterly or year-long, this subscription supports our ongoing work
Thank you for being part of this incredible journey.
With deep gratitude,
Camille Sumner
Executive Director
The Haiti Mama Board of Director
Let’s welcome our new Super Social Worker in the team, Johnny Exantus !
Johnny Exantus graduated with distinction from the Social Worker School of Haiti in Port Au Prince in 2016. Beyond becoming an outstanding Social Science Professor, he has also contributed significantly to youth and social programs for major churches in Croix-des-Bouquets. In addition, he volunteered with the Red Cross to implement comprehensive child support initiatives.
Johnny’s dedication to youth empowerment led to an unforgettable six-month internship with Haiti Mama in 2021, where he focused on enhancing our foster family support program and deepening his understanding of how to guide children toward becoming successful and independent adults.
We are thrilled to welcome Johnny back to Haiti Mama. He will be instrumental in developing and implementing cohesive programs that support young adults and parents in accessing employment opportunities.
We are so happy to have you as part of the Haiti Mama Family, Johnny!
Empowering Families After the Closure of the Orphanage IMAGINE
Since closing the IMAGINE orphanage in 2019, Haiti Mama has been dedicated to supporting 30 children and families in Croix-Des-Bouquet , in addition to the Haiti Mama families. We brought on Exhilien, a former IMAGINE social worker, to provide crucial support—helping reunite families, offer economic empowerment, and ensure children receive education and proper care.
In 2023, the surge of gang violence brought new challenges. With many families displaced and schools closed for safety reasons, our focus shifted to providing emergency support and meeting essential needs.
In February 2024, Exhilien left Haiti to pursue new opportunities, and Jackson Leger, one of our lead social workers, took over. Jackson has been outstanding in continuing the support for IMAGINE families despite the ongoing difficulties.
To further support these 30 families, we decided this summer to launch individualized 2- to 6-month plans, aimed at empowering them towards self-sufficiency.
We aim to have these families fully autonomous by February 2025 through the creation of micro-business. For more details please contact us at info@haitimama.org.
Creation of the November Holiday Box … Shhhhhh, It’s a Secret!
This year, Haiti Mama is excited to offer our supporters a very special Holiday Box, designed to create a unique and meaningful holiday experience. The holidays are about coming together, showing our love and gratitude to one another, and remembering those who may not have the same opportunities we do. By purchasing a holiday box, you're treating yourself and others to beautiful and delicious products while also supporting Haiti Mama families and local artisans, helping them access a better life.
What's Inside the Holiday Box:
Leather Candle Holders (Set of 2) in Brown or Black from Deux Mains, Haiti
Two Homemade Honey Bee Candles
A Beautiful Giving Angel from 2nd Story Goods, Haiti
A Set of 3 Gingerbread Cutters from Atelier Calla, Haiti
A Delicious Gingerbread Kit
A Set of 4 Holiday Cards by Rosie’s Boutique Haiti-USA
A Stunning Papier-Mâché Deer from Haiti Made, Haiti
Our Very Own Haiti Mama Apron, directly from Haiti
Consider offering this box to your loved ones for the holidays or gifting them a One-Year Mama Box Subscription for ongoing joy and support!
The box sales will be released in October but be one of the first to purchase it !
For more information, visit our website haitimama.org or contact us at info@haitimama.org.
Hop on the Tap Tap with us and let’s make change!
