We won’t stop doing this work until every Haitian child has the freedom to sing, dance, and play like this vibrant young girl.
Every time I watch my daughter perform with her classmates – from concerts to poetry recitals — I cry.
I cry from that deep place of joy that mothers and fathers know so well — the sight of a young child finding themselves, reaching inside, expressing joy and confidence.
Inevitably, though, the tears transform into tears of anger, tears of deep, deep sadness. Why? Because right now hundreds of thousands of Haitian children – most of them girls — are trapped in slavery, unable to experience the same basic human rights as my daughter and her friends. Many will never know the inside of a classroom, never know how it feels to believe in oneself.
HURRY – our matching gift opportunity ends Oct. 15. There are thousands of children throughout rural Haiti who are counting on you.
We need to do more than this, however. We must dismantle slavery at its core.
In the remote rural communities where Beyond Borders and our partners work, that’s exactly what we are doing. Thanks to the incredible generosity of supporters like you, last year we helped launch 11 Accelerated Education classrooms that specialize in teaching kids who’ve missed school or have never been enrolled.
I know children whose parents have brought them home fromrestavèk slavery because of these schools. These classrooms are making an amazing difference.
My daughter once said something beautiful about the work we do at Beyond Borders, and I wanted to share her words with you.
One day I asked her, “Do you know why we live in Haiti, honey?”
And she answered. “I know mom. So all those kids in slavery can be freed. And so that every child in Haiti can have a grown-up who loves them and takes care of them.”
Sincerely,
Coleen Hedglin
Child Rights Program Director
Beyond Borders
P.S. Equitas is ready to double your gift, but only until Oct. 15. Don’t let this match slip away!
