Recovery, Reconstruction & Hope
“We are so fortunate to have a dedicated community of LFBS donors and supporters who care so much about our team and the children and families we work with.”
Photo by Fransnel Francois
A message from Morgan
Thank you to everyone who has supported LFBS during these extremely difficult past few months. As many of you know, just before 8:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, August 14, 2021, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the southwest of Haiti. The earthquake affected more than 800,000 people. Over 12,000 people were injured, hundreds remain missing, and to date, over 2,248 deaths have been recorded. More than 137,000 homes were destroyed or damaged in the earthquake, in addition to medical facilities, schools, government buildings, and businesses. The South, where LFBS is located, has been one of the most deeply affected regions.
In addition to the devastation caused by the earthquake, there has been increased insecurity in Haiti overall. Many of you will have seen the headlines detailing the kidnappings and gang violence. Though these circumstances have mostly been concentrated in Port-au-Prince, they affect every part of Haiti. Over the past months, there have been general strikes and protests in Les Cayes in relation to gas shortages and inflation. Petrol has become extremely expensive and is hard to access. Many businesses and services have not been able to function normally due to lack of access to fuel, inflated transportation costs, or anticipation of unrest. Schools had already delayed opening because of the earthquake, and many remain shut.
In response to security concerns, we have instituted heightened security measures for all members of the LFBS team. We are still progressing with our programming and activities, although we are adapting our work on a day-to-day basis to reduce risk. While there are many challenges to contend with, I am inspired by the strength and dedication of my colleagues on the LFBS team. Since August 14th, we have been working to provide emergency life-saving assistance to our beneficiaries, partners, and their communities. Many of our staff lost their own homes in the earthquake, and some of them are still living in tents, yet they have been working around the clock to mobilize and distribute emergency shelter, nutrition, hygiene kits, medical supplies, and care to the most deeply affected survivors.
We are so fortunate to have a dedicated community of LFBS donors and supporters who care so much about our team and the children and families we work with. Right now, the most meaningful way to help our beneficiaries in Haiti is to support us in our activities that reinforce families, communities, businesses, and the local economy. By supporting families psychosocially and economically, we create lasting changes in that family's capacity to support themselves. Giving families and communities the tools and support to thrive reduces the risk of dependence on orphanages and promotes a path to self-sufficiency and sustainability.
In spite of the challenges Haiti is facing, every day our team is working to build a secure future for their fellow Haitians and I am excited to share their accomplishments and stories with you.
With gratitude,
Morgan Wienberg
Cofounder and Executive Director, Little Footprints Big Steps
Emergency and Recovery Response Update
Since August 14th, the LFBS team has sprung into action, providing emergency relief to our beneficiaries, partners, and their communities. In addition to our distributions of emergency kits, we have been supporting local child protection authorities in their response to protect children and prevent trafficking and separation, as well as focusing on psychosocial support for separated children. Take a look at the Emergency Kit Distributions update below to read more about our partnerships and activities that have enabled us to reach nearly 3000 families in 29 different communities.
As we come to the middle of November, we are starting to transition away from emergency aid and beginning to focus on long-term recovery efforts. Our staff have been focusing on completing and analyzing evaluations of beneficiaries' needs following the earthquake. Our recovery efforts encompass rebuilding, business reinforcement, and mental health support, with a prioritization on housing. Please check out our holiday giving and housing campaign for more information about families who need homes.
Recent Activities
Emergency Kit Distributions
The same day that the earthquake hit Haiti, we were in touch with our partner Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) to discuss coordinating our emergency responses. We first worked with GEM after Hurricane Matthew, and we are so thankful for their lasting partnership that has assisted us in reaching almost 3000 families with emergency relief. The GEM team arrived in Haiti several days after the earthquake and brought trucks of locally purchased supplies from Port-au-Prince to Les Cayes. Both LFBS and GEM spent all night assembling emergency kits and completed three major distributions the following day.
Since then, GEM has sent two shipments containing a very high volume of emergency kits and supplies consisting of tarps, bedding, clothes, hygiene supplies, PPE, nutritional supplements, and non-perishable food items.
To assist in preparing the kits and transporting supplies, we hired members of the communities that we are working in. It is often better to hire and pay members of the local community to assist with emergency relief, instead of relying on international volunteers. Not only does the work get done faster, but it is much better for the economy and allows the temporary hires to earn some income (while also receiving kits themselves).
We have now completed numerous distributions, both with the LFBS team and through our partner organizations. In working with local partners, we not only reach communities that otherwise wouldn’t get support, but we help reinforce existing relationships. This is the most sustainable way to deliver aid, one that also paves the way to long-term recovery and community building.
Other Earthquake Relief Activities
We are very grateful to some extremely generous private donors for enabling us to purchase tents for distribution to communities in need. These tents were purchased within Haiti. After identifying communities that were severely affected by the earthquake, our staff helped them set the tents up. In many cases our team has followed up to visit and ensure that the most vulnerable people in each area (such as persons with disabilities, major injuries, or children) are able to access shelter.
In addition to our donors, the teamwork between LFBS and our Haitian and international partners has been nothing short of inspiring. Thanks to WORK, Haiti Mama, Fox Flight Air Ambulance and Mission Aviation Mission (MAF), tents, tarps, and water filtration units arrived just hours and days after the earthquake. These items were among the greatest needs in rural areas as so many families have completely lost their homes and access to safe drinking water. We are also so thankful for Overture Outreach International, Write to Be, and other local partners in Bouffard and Payan for coordinating with the distribution of these emergency supplies.
We were thrilled to send Ramsse, a paramedic and close friend of LFBS, to join LQVE’s earthquake response team. This team is made up of Haitian medical professionals who provided urgently-needed health care to those affected by the earthquake. The LQVE team, led by Dr. Jackenson, was the first one to reach many communities and during the first 3 weeks after the earthquake attended to 784 patients.
In September, Espere Community Counseling Center provided group counseling to both the LFBS staff and the children in our transitional safehouses. The earthquake and its aftermath have taken an emotional toll on everyone, and our team has been so busy providing support to others, but it's so important that we help them look after their mental health too. Recalling how they experienced the earthquake brought several staff members to tears, yet they expressed feeling uplifted when they are able to provide support to the most vulnerable communities.
Coordination with Child Protection Authorities
In the week following the earthquake, we attended a coordination meeting with Child Protection Authorities in Les Cayes, representatives from IBESR in Port au Prince, UNICEF, and other local NGOs to discuss the concerns and priorities for child protection in the South in the wake of the earthquake. Since then, we have been working together with other protection authorities to visit all of the orphanages in the South to assess the conditions and needs, and record the number of children in each one to make sure it is not fluctuating, which would be a sign of trafficking. After disasters, there is an increased risk of trafficking, as well as an increase in the number of children who end up in orphanages, which is something we want to avoid. We have also been working to visit foster families for needs assessments and reinforcement when necessary. Additionally, we have been working to strengthen our partnership with child protection authorities in the Grand'Anse region, which even in the best of times is severely under-serviced and under-resourced. As we outlined in our submission to the Day of General Discussion, it is critical to design and implement interventions that combine temporary emergency spaces for children who have been separated with logistical support and resources for family tracing, mediation, and reunification. In order to protect children in the aftermath of a disaster such as this, response strategies must be rooted in supporting and coordinating with local protection authorities.
Success Stories
Youth in our Education & Vocational Training Program
Though recent insecurity has delayed school and vocational programming, many of the youth we support have still been able to progress in their courses or even complete their certification!
GREGORY
We are sending a big congratulations to Gregory* who has recently obtained a special licence to operate heavy machinery and big trucks. This young man received support from LFBS throughout his childhood; he came from an impoverished community where many of the street children we have worked with are from, and had health issues that limited his options for vocational training. Now as a young man, we are so proud that we have been able to support him as he persevered in the practical work necessary to receive this licence, which will enable him to obtain employment and have income as a self-sufficient adult. Gregory also recently got married, and we couldn’t be happier for him!
Fabienne
Another one of our beneficiaries who made great progress this summer is a young woman named Fabienne* who we support to attend university. In addition to assisting her with school fees and living expenses, we supported her to attend a summer course in pastry arts in Les Cayes, in order to expand her options for income generation with something that she is passionate about. We are looking forward to seeing Fabienne’s hard work pay off!
Medical coordination
Several weeks ago, we were referred to a case where a mother and child were severely injured in a domestic abuse incident. We were able to arrange for them to be airlifted from Jérémie to Port-au-Prince for treatment, which included multiple blood transfusions. Both mother and child were released from the hospital but were still in very fragile conditions. Because of their condition, and because of violence and gang activity, they became stuck in Port-au-Prince. It was not safe for them to travel by road back to Jérémie, and we could not arrange for them to take a domestic flight because they did not have ID.
In collaboration with Mission Aviation Fellowship- Haiti, we were able to coordinate a charter flight for them to get home! Both mother and child are safe and recovering back in Jérémie. MAF also supported us in our coordination of emergency relief in the days immediately following the earthquake. We are grateful for their trusted and reliable partnership!
Get Involved
Holiday Gifts
Celebrate the holidays with LFBS by giving a symbolic gift to the children and families we work with in Haiti.
We are thrilled to announce Little Footprints Big Steps’ Holiday Gifts!
In Haiti, the holidays arrive right in the middle of the cold and rainy hurricane season. In the aftermath of the August 14th earthquake, many people are living in increased vulnerable conditions as a result of losing their homes. Factor in the high cost of living, inflation, and economic and political insecurity, and the holidays do not feel like a very cheerful time this year.
You can make a difference this holiday season through shopping our holiday gift collection and giving the gift of a safe home and hope to the children and families we work with.
How it works
Your gift is considered a tax deductible donation and you will receive a tax receipt via email.
If you would like to make a gift on behalf of a family member or friend, let us know when you check out. Your loved one will receive an email from LFBS wishing them a Happy Holiday season and thanking them for the gift you have made in their name.
Please allow up to one week to receive your receipt and thank you note.
LFBS’ Trivia Extravaganza
Save the date for December 18th!
On December 18th, LFBS will be hosting a Trivia Extravaganza. This completely virtual event is fun for the whole family, offering you multiple ways to give back this holiday season while competing for fun prizes offered by our generous sponsors. You can take part in our photo contest, opening on December 1, and share your best, funniest, or weirdest holiday or winter themed photo for the chance to win one of our coveted prizes and a highlight on our social media. Feeling extra festive? After you have purchased your trivia ticket, you can choose to run your own peer to peer fundraiser. The individual or team who raises the most money through fundraising wins yet another prize! If that weren’t enough, join our two hour main event on the evening of Saturday, December 18th, to show off your trivia skills, win fabulous prizes, and claim your title as a Trivia Master.
This event will also provide an opportunity for Morgan and other members of the LFBS team to say thank you, provide some updates, and answer any questions or hear your feedback about the work that LFBS is doing.
Tickets go on sale through our website on December 1st, so save the date and get ready for holiday trivia fundraising fun!
*Check your inbox on December 1st for more information about the event and links to purchase your tickets *
Other ways to support LFBS this season
Giving Tuesday
Mark your calendars because #GivingTuesday is on November 30th!
What is Giving Tuesday? Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement, taking place each year after Black Friday. The opening day of the giving season, it’s a time where charities, companies, and individuals join together and rally for their favourite causes. In the same way that retailers take part in Black Friday, the giving community comes together for Giving Tuesday.
Ways you can support LFBS on Giving Tuesday:
Donate through GlobalGiving
On November 30th, from midnight to 11:59 p.m. ET, GlobalGiving is giving away one million dollars to nonprofits around the world, using a tiered matching structure. Your generous donations on this day will help us unlock a share of these funds. The more you give, the more we get! Individual donations of up to $2,500 USD are eligible to receive incentive funds.
The campaign only runs for 24 hours, so make sure you donate on Tuesday, November 30th, to maximize your donation’s potential for change.
Donate here between midnight to 11:59 p.m. ET on November 30th to help us support the Haitian families that need it the most and make a difference in their lives!
Would you like a reminder that the campaign has begun? Email us at info@littlefootprintsbigsteps.com to let us know!
Create your own fundraiser
Launch a fundraiser in minutes and ask your loved ones to donate to LFBS! You can create your own fundraiser on facebook by selecting “Little Footprints, Big Steps International Development Organization” from the list of nonprofits under the “Fundraisers” tab on Facebook. Share your fundraiser and encourage your facebook friends to donate.
Donate in CryptoCurrency
We are very excited to announce our new #CryptoFundedHomes campaign!
Taking place from now till December 31st, you will be able to donate towards LFBS' #CryptoFundedHomes in all common forms of cryptocurrency.
When you donate in crypto, your donation will help us repair family homes damaged by the earthquake. Help us reach our goal of $6000 USD to support the purchase of locally sourced construction materials to repair homes in Haiti’s south.
Visit the following link: https://littlefootprintsbigsteps.com/crypto to donate today!
3 Homes in Haiti
In June, we told you about 3 families who were already living in precarious housing conditions and who we were raising funds for to build permanent housing. Samuel, Joseph, and Peterson’s families have been made even more vulnerable by the earthquake, and are now living in tents.
Children living in corrupt orphanages, the streets, or the restavek system are all easily exploited because they have been separated from their families. To truly make a difference we must not only reunite children with their families, but also address the issue that caused separation in the first place.
With your support, we have already raised $11,000!
Please help us reach our goal of $20,000 so that we can provide permanent, safe housing to these three families, and work to empower them to build a self-sufficient future. Every dollar counts!
Volunteer
We are seeking new members to join our Board of Directors and volunteer their time and expertise to advance LFBS’ strategic priorities! We are especially interested in those who have governance, legal, policy, and compliance knowledge, experience and skills.
Please see the position posting here.
News
LFBS in the Media
Since June, our staff have participated in a number of important interviews with CBC News. Our Executive Director Morgan was also featured in El País, in addition to participating in a live Q&A as part of a panel for this year’s International Social Change Film Festival. This ongoing outreach has been vital in raising awareness about providing effective support following the earthquake and the crucial work LFBS continues to do in Haiti. Check out our Media page to catch-up on these important conversations!
LFBS 10th Anniversary
On December 3rd, LFBS is celebrating our 10 year anniversary in Haiti! Tune into our social media platforms on the day (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn) for a ‘social media takeover’ by the Haiti team. They will be providing a behind the scenes look at a day in the life of LFBS! No social media? No problem! We will include all the highlights in our next quarterly update.
OHCHR Day of General Discussion on Children’s Rights and Alternative Care
In June, we told you about the preparation for our contribution to the OHCHR Day of General Discussion (DGD) on Children’s Rights and Alternative Care. As part of our continued efforts toward addressing the root causes of separation and poverty, LFBS submitted several pieces to this year's DGD.
The focus of this year’s theme ‘Children’s Rights and Alternative Care’ represents an opportunity for the UN CRC Committee to send a clear message of renewed urgency to support children in their families and communities. Our official submission lists five key recommendations:
Increased collaboration, consultation, resource allocation and support of Child Protection Authorities in Haiti, predominantly IBESR and BPM, with a strong focus on rural areas.
Education and outreach to faith-based donors that demonstrates that the continued proliferation of, and support to, orphanages conflicts with the Government of Haiti’s national plan to reduce reliance on orphanage care, as well as international human rights conventions and standards designed to protect children.
Intervention design that combines temporary emergency spaces for children who have been separated with logistical support and resources for family tracing, mediation, and reunification.
Support for the implementation of Haiti’s foster family system, reinforced with economic and psychosocial support.
The establishment of an alternative justice system for children in conflict with the law.
Our full written submissions, as well as the report on children’s consultations and background documents can be found here.
New Members of the Team
Angelo in action.
Staff
We are so excited to welcome our new Administrator, Angelo Poisson, to Little Footprints Big Steps. Angelo has had a career working in the development and humanitarian sector, previously working with Plan International. He came on board with LFBS just before the earthquake happened, and was thrown into a very intense situation. He has shown exemplary leadership and dedication while working alongside the team at all hours, throughout our various earthquake relief activities and in making changes to our operations. Angelo has already made his mark on LFBS through setting up separate administrative, accounting and logistics departments, formalizing our documentation that will allow for increased transparency in our monitoring and reporting processes, and through adding more structure to our financial and procurement policies and procedures. We are thrilled to have his expertise and to welcome him to the LFBS team.
We are also delighted to report that Wattson, who has been with us since June 2018, has been promoted from our part time Expenditure Reports Manager to a full-time Accountant position. Congratulations Wattson and thank you for your hard work and dedication!
Board
We are pleased to announce four new additions to our Board of Directors, Franca Hoda, Oziene Okeke, Emma Sparks, and Eric Sparks.
Franca will be replacing Sarah Martin as the LFBS Board Chair. Sarah had been serving as Interim Board Chair, and will continue serving on our board as a director. Franca has had a career of demonstrated senior leadership in health human resources and has guided several Southern Ontario hospitals through the complex challenges associated with restructuring, mergers, and governance transfer. We are honoured that she has chosen to share her time and expertise with LFBS and the board is excited to be moving forward under her leadership.
We are also extending a warm welcome to Veronique Lafond, LFBS’ new Corporate Secretary.
Volunteers
Volunteers are an integral part of LFBS’ success! We are very lucky to have a network of committed and enthusiastic volunteers supporting LFBS in Canada. We are delighted to welcome Rachel, Reefat, Andrew and Nanziba, who will be joining Radhika, Allison, and Sam on our volunteer team. Click here to get know more about the LFBS volunteers.
Thank You!
Thank you for being a part of our incredible community of supporters and donors. Because of you, we are making real, impactful, and lasting changes in the lives of children, families, and communities. You are a partner in this work and we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for your interest, support, and caring, and for being a catalyst for change.
Thank you for your shared commitment to our mission to protect vulnerable children in Haiti by reuniting families and empowering them with resources and opportunities to build a self-sufficient future.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of our beneficiaries.