The title “restavek” has been used to describe an abused child who lives with and serves a family that is not his or her biological family. These children are either sold by their own family to another that is financially able to provide, or they are orphans with no family to care for them. The children are extremely vulnerable, living as modern-day slaves. The term, “restavek,” was once used as a verb. Meaning “to stay with,” it originally described the action of living alongside another, but it now communicates something very different. The majority of restaveks in Haiti are physically, sexually, and emotionally abused. They are regularly starved, beaten, and taken advantage of. Grievously, this reality is a common occurrence and has become a cultural norm for the people of Haiti.

The country of Haiti is home to approximately 300,000 restaveks. This means that around 1 in 15 Haitian children is currently enslaved. Due to the current political and economic situation in Haiti, Connect 2 Ministries expects this number to grow substantially.

One aspect of our ministry efforts at C2M has been to provide a safe and loving home for rescued restaveks. These children are provided with a formal and government-recognized education, and the homes we provide are unique because, unlike many other children’s homes, we have no “age out” policy. Before a restavek leaves one of the Children’s Homes, we make sure they have all the tools they need to live as successful adults in their communities.

On October 8, join us for our first ever Walk for Restaveks as we work to raise awareness about restavek children in Haiti. We hope this will be an encouraging time together and a step toward positive change for the children of Haiti.