About
Zanmi Lakay is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for current and former street children in Haiti by providing educational and economic opportunities and resources to help these children while they are on the streets and to help build a life for them off the streets.
How Zanmi Lakay Began…
During my first trip to Haiti in 1997, I lived at Lafanmi Selavi, a home created for street children by Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1986 when he was still a parish priest. Close to 500 children found their way to Lafanmi Selavi for a variety of reasons. Some were orphans or abandoned, others had been abused, many families could not afford to take care of their kids, and many were restaveks or child slaves. I took their pictures and got to know them during the years I worked on my documentary project and held Photography Workshops.
When Lafanmi Selavi closed in 2000, many children no longer had the opportunity to go to school, a place to sleep, food and clothing, sports, music, art, or a family that their former home provided. Street life was harsh, miserable, and dangerous and they needed help. They wanted to go to school, a place to live, to be safe, and to contribute to society. Zanmi Lakay was created because of the growing needs of street children in Haiti, and the seed was the Photography Workshops. My inspiration was the book, Shooting Back, a successful project founded by Jim Hubbard while he was working with homeless children in Washington D.C.
Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. In the context of extreme economic and political instability, the vulnerability of children rises significantly. Haiti is almost exactly the same size as Massachusetts, with a population of over eight million people; Massachusetts has 6.4 million. But per capita income in Haiti is under $400, compared to nearly $42,000 in Massachusetts.Haiti’s early history is slavery, succeeded almost continuously by even more brutal tyranny. As a result, 80% of Haitians live in abject poverty, at least 50% are illiterate, and two thirds have no formal employment. Over forty percent of the population is under the age of 15. According to UNICEF, more than 173,000 Haitian children are domestic workers (restaveks), 3,000 have been trafficked in the Dominican Republic, and 200,000 have lost one or both parents to AIDS. Many schools charge tuition, plus the costs of books, uniforms, food, and transportation. There are small group homes in Port-au-Prince, as well as food programs, and various NGOs that are helping street children. But the number of street children is estimated at 9,000-250,000, and obviously assistance is pitifully inadequate. If the children of Haiti have no future, neither does their country. Our purpose is to give some of those children a chance. We hope others who share their hemisphere will help us.
Jennifer Pantaléon
Outreach Services
Our outreach services grew from the needs of children actually living on the streets. Their sources of income are washing cars, begging, prostitution, working for bus drivers, or temporary manual labor chores amounting to nothing but maybe some food money. For a handful of kids, we give shoes, jeans and other clothing, backpacks, care bags, cash for food, transportation, and living assistance. Care bags are large Ziploc baggies containing daily living needs such as t-shirts, shampoo, soap, toothbrush and paste, and any other basic living supplies that are donated in enough quantity.
School expenses and art supplies, soaps and shampoos, clothing and shoes, backpacks, and care bags are also donated to children living in group homes. When children have medical or dental problems, we find doctors and pay for medical expenses.
In 2004 when the US installed a new Haitian government after taking President Aristide out of the country, many of the children were threatened and living in danger becoming targets of anti-Aristide groups. We helped a number of these kids with visa and living expenses during that time so they could be safe.
We strive to build relationships within the community to create a strong network to better access available resources that are needed to help the kids.
Teens in Transition Program
Zanmi Lakay supports 12 teenagers that are either too old for children’s programs or were participants of programs that are now discontinued. We have known these boys during their many years of living in group homes and out on the streets, and they are good students. It is important they are allowed to continue their studies to improve their lives.
$3,600.00 – $300.00 per student for all annual school fees, books, and uniform
$1,800.00 – annual rent for two shared rooms
$5,400.00 – TOTAL PROGRAM EXPENSES
Employment Development
A new and growing program providing business workshops, micro-loans for small business, mentoring, and trade school funding.In Spring, 2008, Zanmi Lakay began a telephone rental business for street youth considered too high risk to be helped by other programs. Zanmi Lakay bought two satellite phones. The boys sell minutes to people who don’t have phones, and then make weekly rental payments to Zanmi Lakay. As these payments add up another telephone can be purchased, so that the success and growth of the program depends on the boys themselves.
Donation Drives
We bring many donations to Haiti for the children living in the streets, in group homes, and also for other organizations working with disadvantage youth. We collect donations from private individuals, at our Ti Machés, and collaborate with schools organizing class projects, events and presentations about Haiti and the street children.
Future Center
Zanmi Lakay was born to help fulfill the needs of street children in Port-au-Prince, and ultimately the best way to do that is to open a day center. The future includes establishing a creative day center and safe haven in Port-au-Prince where street children will receive basic needs including meals, school supplies, and a place to bathe and wash clothes. The site will also open an art studio and darkroom that doubles as a gallery with a computer center where kids can develop skills and exhibit their work. We will offer mentoring and tutoring, health care resources, educational assistance, and give a safe place to children where their talents can be nurtured.
Wish List
See Future Center above
$5,400.00 for Teens in Transition Program
Laptop computers
Digital cameras
School and art supplies
Teen size sneakers
School backpacks
Care Bag items: toothpaste, toothbrushes, t-shirts, shampoo, soap, etc.
Soccer balls, soccer jerseys, soccer shoes
Decks of cards, dominos, and other non-battery games
Mentors
Volunteers
