Haiti « Free the Slaves

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Archive for the ‘Haiti’ Category

Hope Amid Crisis in Haiti

Posted by Smith Maxime on December 28, 2021

You have probably seen in the news that Haiti is facing a crisis with multiple layers: political instability, a natural disaster, economic uncertainty, food shortages, and kidnappings for ransom. The president was assassinated, a 7.2 earthquake killed more than 2,000 people and destroyed thousands of homes, unemployment has skyrocketed, and gangs control large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Despite this, Free the slaves and our partner Beyond Borders are building hope in rural communities affected by child slavery on the island read more >

Joint Statement and Call to Action on the Crisis in Haiti

Posted by Free the Slaves on July 19, 2021

In response to the crisis in Haiti, which has deepened in the wake of the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, we, the undersigned individuals and organizations, express our condolences and sympathy to all of the Haitian families that have lost a loved one to the ongoing violence. We further recognize that activists and human rights defenders in Haiti are currently facing grave danger as they continue to work for a better future for all Haitians.

In light of the horrific events read more >

Haiti Insecurity Could Increase Child Slavery

Posted by Free the Slaves on July 15, 2021

We are still in shock about Haiti. On July 7, we awoke to news that President Jovenel Moïse had been assassinated overnight. Major cities went into lockdown and a power vacuum has now worsened the political crisis with no clear path out. The parliament is dysfunctional with no lower chamber and the senate lacks two-thirds of its members. The president of the Supreme Court died recently of COVID-19.

We’d like to let the many supporters of Free the Slaves’ work in read more >

Are You Financing Modern Slavery and Racial Inequality?

Posted by Bukeni Waruzi on November 25, 2020

The things we buy are decisions we make about the world we want. With Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the holiday gift-giving season beginning soon, it’s important to reflect on how everyday purchases can unknowingly fuel modern slavery and the racial inequality it creates.

Clothing, jewelry, electronics and food are products commonly tainted by forced labor. Sometimes it is sweatshop slavery in manufacturing factories or processing facilities. Often raw materials are the problem — from cocoa and cotton to gold and read more >

Stand Against Anti-Haitian Racism

Posted by Bukeni Waruzi on November 5, 2020

For more than 150 years Haiti and the Dominican Republic have shared the island of Hispaniola. Their relationship, however, has not been pleasant. Sadly, this antagonism has led to the creation of racially biased policies against Haitians in the Dominican territory.

Haitian migrants and their descendants born in the Dominican Republic, undocumented or not, have been historically and systemically racially discriminated against based on ethnic group, race and nationality, and because of their economic, social and cultural situation.

Due to read more >

Haiti Government Pledges Financial Support to Fight Child Trafficking

Posted by Smith Maxime on September 14, 2020

Haiti’s National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons will have the financial capacity to carry out its ambitious agenda, thanks to a commitment by the government to provide 20 million Haitian gourdes (about $185,000 USD) in financial support. It’s the first infusion of funding since the committee was created five years ago.

The committee’s job is critical to implementing Haiti’s anti-trafficking law, which was enacted in 2014. The committee’s mission is to coordinate anti-trafficking activities, prevent and combat trafficking in all read more >

Slavery Survivors Help Haiti’s COVID-19 Response

Posted by Bukeni Waruzi on June 8, 2020

I’d like to share some important and inspiring news from our program in Haiti. There’s a deep sense of community spirit among Haiti’s slavery survivors. That’s why the Adult Survivor Network has stepped forward to be part of the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the call went out for seamstresses and tailors, a team of 30 survivors formed to sew 4,000 masks and assemble 2,400 hygiene kits. They are being distributed in Port-au-Prince, Jacmel and La Gonave Island.

“This initiative is a good one,” read more >

The Enslaved Need Your Help on #GivingTuesdayNow

Posted by Bukeni Waruzi on May 4, 2020

Your generosity has changed lives around the world. The programs you support at Free the Slaves help people learn new skills and start microenterprises that build financial resiliency. Your contributions mean that slavery survivors are less likely to be re-enslaved, and vulnerable communities become slavery-proof.

However, on the front lines of modern slavery today, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reverse decades of progress. The disadvantaged are being hit especially hard. Many are not receiving government assistance. And a return to “normal” will mean the resumption read more >

COVID-19 Impact on Communities Plagued by Slavery

Posted by Bukeni Waruzi on April 15, 2020

I hope that you and your family are healthy and safe during these difficult times. I am reaching out to you today to share about how the Covid-19 global pandemic is affecting communities where slavery makes people especially vulnerable to disasters and financial shocks, and how Free the Slaves teams are adapting.

Now, more than ever, we must confront the forces of discrimination and disenfranchisement that are worsening under the societal stress caused by the worldwide medical and economic emergency. Crises cause spikes in debt bondage, forced labor read more >

Global Freedom One Community at a Time

Posted by Daniel Elkes on April 14, 2020

Dear Friends and Supporters,

I write this letter as I shelter in place amidst the spreading of the coronavirus pandemic. The close tethering to our homes underscores the importance of communities even in today’s hyperconnected world. Likewise, eliminating slavery depends crucially on our ability to mobilize communities. The march to a world without slavery happens one village, one town, one state at a time, each igniting with the light of freedom as it spreads across the globe.

At Free the Slaves, we’re read more >

Stay Informed

Archive for the ‘Haiti’ Category

Hope Amid Crisis in Haiti

Joint Statement and Call to Action on the Crisis in Haiti

Haiti Insecurity Could Increase Child Slavery

Are You Financing Modern Slavery and Racial Inequality?

Stand Against Anti-Haitian Racism

Haiti Government Pledges Financial Support to Fight Child Trafficking

Slavery Survivors Help Haiti’s COVID-19 Response

The Enslaved Need Your Help on #GivingTuesdayNow

COVID-19 Impact on Communities Plagued by Slavery

Global Freedom One Community at a Time

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