30,000 Haitian kids live in private orphanages. Officials want to shutter them and reunite families.

An estimated 30,000 children in Haiti currently reside in privately owned orphanages, many of which have reported instances of trafficking, forced labor, and various forms of abuse. Mylouise Veillard’s story is not uncommon among these children. She was only 10 years old when her mother left her in one of these facilities in southern Haiti with hopes of a better future. After enduring harsh conditions for three years, Mylouise and her brother, who faced even tougher times, represent the plight of these kids.

In light of these circumstances, the Haitian government has recently embarked on a mission to close these establishments. The strategy involves relocating hundreds of children back to their biological families. The individuals at the forefront of this initiative are social workers, armed only with a photograph and a vague locality of where the child was originally from.

Morgan Wienberg, the co-founder and executive director of Little Footprints, Big Steps, likens these social workers to detectives due to their tireless efforts. Despite the significant logistical hurdles in a country without residential phonebooks or proper addressing systems, these social workers are relentless. They traverse cities, towns, and villages, knocking on doors and showing people pictures of children, hoping someone recognizes them.

Unfortunately, they often discover that parents lost contact with their children due to the violence in their communities or due to orphanages relocating children without parental consent. This makes the process of reuniting families incredibly challenging.

Haiti, being the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, has numerous children, like Veillard and her brother, who are considered “poverty orphans”. Unable to provide for their children, parents often place them in orphanages hoping they would receive better care. Post the devastating 2010 earthquake, the number of such orphanages increased by 150%, further escalating the issues of trafficking, forced labor, and abuse.

According to a 2018 report, only 35 out of 754 orphanages met the minimum standards for operation. As a response, the government is taking steps to prevent the construction of new orphanages and shut down existing ones. This, however, is a dangerous task, as government officials face threats from orphanage owners who want to keep foreign donations, primarily from U.S. faith-based donors, flowing in.

For many impoverished families, orphanages are a necessary evil, as they cannot provide for their children or protect them from violence. Reunification efforts have been successful in rural parts of Haiti, where families can sustain themselves. It’s in these areas that nonprofits are working to support families post-reunification and ensure children don’t end up back in the orphanages due to economic struggles.

Reunification doesn’t always lead to ideal living conditions, but parents like Renèse Estève, Mylouise’s mother, believe their children are better off living in poverty than in abusive orphanages. They also work with mentors who help children navigate the transition back home, often through art and music.

The journey to closure is full of challenges, but moments of joy make it worthwhile. For Estève and her children, the day they reunited marked the start of a new chapter. She prepared two celebratory meals for her family, marking the beginning of their life together again. Despite all the struggles, she said, “We were a family again.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Haiti Orphanage Closure

More about Haiti Orphanage Closure

• Little Footprints, Big Steps
• Child trafficking in Haiti
• Haiti’s Struggle with Poverty
• The State of Orphanages in Haiti