OUR MISSION

MISSION STATEMENT

“Providing a foundation, rooted and established in love, to promote the educational, health, spiritual and life development needs of the children of the Fond Blanc orphanage and the surrounding community.”

We want to see these children grow and flourish into thriving adults. To this end, we’ve focused our efforts in four main areas…

LOVE AND CARE

In order for a child to thrive, they need to live in an environment where they know they are loved and cared for. Currently, there is a small team of orphanage staff working hard to care for the children at the orphanage. Pastor Jean Claude oversees the general operations of the orphanage, but his many responsibilities make it impossible for him to live their full time. Brother Son and Fabo assist Pastor Jean Claude with orphanage logistics, like transporting food and overseeing construction. Brother Theodore oversees the day-to-day operations of the orphanage. Pastor Smail oversees the church and school. Mommy Dieula and Jètha oversee the cooking and basic care of the children, including bathing, cooking, and discipline.

Despite their best efforts, it was difficult to provide the attention, love and care to all 54 children at the orphanage. There was no maternal figure the children could look to for support. To fill this hole, Alison Praisewater joined their team in 2014 with the main focus of providing a loving environment for the children to grow and thrive. Her presence and leadership on the ground allows the Fond Blanc Foundation to carry out its mission in the remaining three areas.

HEALTH & NUTRITION

The children living at the orphanage receive two meals a day. This is a huge blessing, as many people in Fond Blanc do not have access to regular meals. Most of the meals currently consist of grits in the morning, and rice and beans in the evening.

Though these meals are a blessing, they are missing some of the essential nutritional components that are vital for growing children. We are in the process of enriching these meals with additional foods like fruit, vegetables, dairy and protein, while also supplementing them with essential vitamins. A new kitchen and water purification system will be installed in January of 2015 to provide sanitary food and water to over 100 people daily.

But nutrition and water is only one part of the children’s health. While the children at the orphanage are relatively healthy, there is a great need for basic healthcare. Problems like ringworm, intestinal parasites, eczema, common colds and flu, have historically gone untreated.

Now that we have a consistent presence on the ground we are able to care for these daily health needs. Simple things like lotion after a bath can prevent skin conditions, and children’s Ibuprophen can relieve a fever. With the recent purchase of a vehicle, trips to the Real Hope for Haiti clinic and Port-au-Prince hospitals are now possible. These initial steps have finally given the children access to the healthcare they need.

EDUCATION

A great benefit of living at the orphanage is the access to free education. Any Haitian will tell you that education is the only way to secure a future for themselves and their country.

The College Mixtefrere Sylvain (the school at the Fond Blanc Orphanage) teaches Preschool through 11th grade. Along with the children who live at the orphanage, there are about two-dozen children from the village that attend the school. There are 19 teachers at the school who use the government curriculum. Like most schools in Haiti, classes are conducted in French. Currently, there isn’t a school building at the orphanage. Makeshift classrooms are cleverly built around and within the existing church. Supplies are scarce and teachers’ salaries are not secure.

Our immediate goal is to provide reliable supplies and teacher salaries through our child sponsorship program. Starting in 2015, we will begin fundraising for the construction of a proper school building with larger classrooms and a schoolyard. It’s a lofty goal, but we envision a school that can provide excellent education for the entire community of Fond Blanc, and scholarship opportunities for children to attend University.

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

Church is held in Fond Blanc every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Ask any child and they will tell you that they love attending church and learning about God! Pastor Jean Claude and Pastor Smail have created a beautiful foundation based on Jesus Christ. We are grateful for the children’s spirit and their eagerness to learn.

It is our desire for the children to truly understand the love that their creator has for them and to live a life in response to that love. To further this goal, we have recently started weekly bible studies, summer vacation bible school, and nightly bible stories before bed. We are also working to provide every child with his or her own Bible. These efforts help to ensure the children grow up knowing Christ’s love for them.