Orphanage Support Program
We support orphanages that provide food, shelter, health care, and education to those most vulnerable in Haiti - children who have lost their parents or have been abandoned by families too poor to care for them.
No institutional system exists in Haiti to care for these children. We are currently supporting:
Foyer des Filles de Dieu (The House of the Girls of God): Founded in 1987 by Madame Paula Thybulle, Le Foyer des Filles has more than 70 girls. Without Paula's orphanage, these children would be left to themselves on the streets of Port-au-Prince, vulnerable to sexual abuse and other violence. At the orphanage, the girls are welcomed into a family where the oldest (18 years of age) look out for the youngest (3 years old). Girls receive high-quality education and vocational training, with the aim of becoming healthy adults capable of independent living.
La Maison L'Arc-en-Ciel (Rainbow House): The orphanage has 36 children affected by HIV/AIDS. These children have lost at least one of their parents to the AIDS virus, and some are HIV-positive. Robert and Danielle Penette, the orphanage founders, provide a safe and loving environment for these children, who have medical care and attend school. Along with this residence for children, the Penettes run a walk-in clinic in Port-au-Prince that provides AIDS education, counseling and care. The Penettes aim to help change the stigma of AIDS and to teach the wider community acceptance and proper treatment of those affected by the disease.