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Foyer des Filles de Dieu
Girls orphanaged or abandonned have found a safe and loving home with Paula Thybulle.
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Foyer des Filles de Dieu
Founded in 1988 by Paula Thybulle
Foyer des Filles de Dieu (Home for the Girls of God) was founded by Paula Thybulle and is now home to over 60 young women ranging in age from 3 to 20. Paula was born in Haiti but moved to Miami with her husband to raise their family. After 30 years of living in the comfort of the US she felt called to return to Haiti to help those in need. Trained as a Social Worker and Lab Technician, Paula managed the government orphanage in Port-au-Prince - providing care for over 400 children on less than $2 per child per month. While she was working in this orphanage she found several of the children were having a very difficult time living under such conditions with little or no attention or affection. She was deeply upset to see that there was not even enough room to take in more than 135 girls and watched so many be turned away to the streets - vulnerable to abuse and prostitution. She took the charge herself to find a place for them. With her own savings, Paula decided to open an orphanage for girls. She started with 23 girls and over the years the numbers have increased and yet, she has had the pleasure of watching so many of them grow up and leave her care for marriage and / or work. The girls call Paula 'mamanm' (mother) - and for most she is the only one they will ever know.
Paula Thybulle has dedicated her life and all her resources to helping those in need and is 'manman' (mother) to over 60 girls at Foyer des Filles and 100's of others that have grown up to live independent lives outside the orphanage.
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Paula feels it is her calling to help the poor. She is deeply hurt to see suffering and has dedicated her life to doing whatever she can to help. Through her dedication she now supports over 60 girls residing at the orphanage. Her goal is to provide the girls with a safe and loving environment while preparing them to be self-sufficient and have the ability to earn a living on their own. This is the only way they leave her care.
Within the orphanage, Paula has found many ways to help the girls move towards independence with every child attending school and participating in a vocational program at the orphanage. All primary students attend school within the orphanage with the help of 4 teachers and one tutor. Within this school Paula has also taken in children from the neighborhood whose families are too poor to afford schooling. Secondary students go out to school to be immersed into their community and whenever possible they continue their education either at professional schools or in college.
After school, there are several activities to keep the girls stimulated. Through the Bergin Fund of Haitian Ministries, Paula began an on-site vocational program to teach the girls hand-on skills and build confidence. This year the program will continue through a Mercy Ministry Grant. This program includes cosmetology, gastronomy, and art classes. The girls also participate in a dance lessons through the generosity of a private donor in Vermont. All of these programs help the girls develop inter-personal as well as physical skills that help them in their studies and build their confidence.
How you can help: Paula is in need of your financial support to help the girls in her care - these funds go towards sending the girls to school, providing them nutritious meals, and keeping them healthy. Please donate to the Orphanage Fund today!
To encourage self-confidence and teach marketable skills, Paula has three vocational classes for the girls in her care: cosmetology (as shown above), gastronomy and art.
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