What Every Supporter Should Know
 

A Restavèk (from the French “rester avec,” meaning “to stay with”) is a vulnerable child in Haiti who is sent to live with another household because their family cannot afford to care for them.

Although many parents hope their child will receive food and schooling, the reality is often very different.
Most Restavèk children:

• Live away from home and family

• Work long hours doing domestic tasks

• Do not attend school

• Grow up without safety, nurturing, or childhood experiences

While the system is culturally tolerated, it is not preferred—and many Restavèk situations meet international definitions of child slavery and trafficking.
It is estimated that over 400,000 children in Haiti between the ages of 5 and 17 are living as Restavèks.

Why Children Become Restavèk

Extreme poverty is the main driver.
Families facing:

• Hunger

• Homelessness

• Unemployment

• Violence or displacement

often feel they have no other option but to send a child away in hopes of survival.
But sending a child away rarely protects them—it often exposes them to more hardship.

This is the cycle Hope for Kids Haiti is committed to breaking.

Our Heart: Interrupt the Cycle, Restore Childhood

Instead of sending children away, we help families keep their children with them, by providing the support they need to stay together.

We prevent Restavèk situations by offering:

📘 Education

Scholarships, uniforms, supplies, and encouragement keep children in school and out of exploitative environments.

🍽️ Nourishment

Weekly meals provide essential nutrition, stability, and dignity—so children aren’t sent away because families can’t feed them.

❤️ Community & Spiritual Support

Children receive love, belonging, and biblical teaching that reinforces their value and identity in Christ.

What Happens When Restavèk Is Prevented?

Children:

• Stay safely with their families

• Feel seen, known, and valued

• Grow in confidence

• Are less vulnerable to trafficking, gangs, or exploitation

• Have the chance to experience a real childhood

Families:

• Feel supported, not abandoned

• Gain hope for the future

• Are strengthened spiritually and relationally

Communities:

• Experience renewal, peace, and long-term transformation

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