Through Child Hope International’s Transition Support Services program, we provide coaching and training to other organizations that would like to transition to family-based care. One of our clients, Hopestart International, has been working with us since January 2021. We interviewed their Country Director, Jennifer Law, about their experience in our TSS program.
Where is Hopestart located?
Hopestart is located in Jérémie, which is hidden away in the southwestern part of Haiti. Though the population runs at over 300,000 people, life there is more intimate with a community/family feel. Despite political instability in other parts of the country, Jeremie remains calm and safe.
Why did Hopestart want to participate in Child Hope’s TSS program?
We were made aware in 2020, during COVID, that there were more families connected to our children living at Hopestart than we were previously informed about. We believe in keeping families together as long as the child is protected and safe.
What was the most helpful thing Child Hope contributed as you began incorporating family-based care services?
Child Hope was able to give us a lot of concrete information and help, having gone through the same process. They gave us advice and suggestions of approaches that only an organization having experienced the circumstances would understand.
What has been challenging, and how are you overcoming that?
The most challenging part has been working out the details of the actual reunification process. We have been listening to and acknowledging each family’s struggles and assuring them that we would work with their family. This has been a great platform of sharing the gospel not just to the child but the entire family.
What progress has Hopestart made in incorporating family-based programming?
Hopestart has been able to locate almost all families and have been able to open the reunification process. We know it takes time to build rapport and trust between the child, family, and an organization. We praise God that our kids are able to get reconnected with their families and begin reconnecting on so much time lost.
Can you share a success story?
One of our teenagers, Rose*, admitted to almost getting into risky sexual activity for money, but recalled her spiritual growth at Hopestart and ran from the situation. She approached us with the desire to find her mom, somewhere in the large capital of Port au Prince. After months of searching, we were able to locate her family, find her mom, and months later reunited them! They now live in Hopestart’s Families for Hope village where Hopestart has assisted in different aspects of support for both Rose and her family. She is going through her most fundamental young adult years with her biological mother. And though they both admit there is difficulty, they have both confirmed that they would not want it any other way.
*Name changed for her protection and privacy
