"I've been living on the street alone for a very long time. I know it's been more than 3 years. My mother and father died from the fever (AIDS). After my mother died too, there was no one left around that wanted me to stay with them. The man we rent the house from took it back and I had to leave. It's very scarry because you don't know what to do sometime."
Izarak Age: 14
"I'm not living with my mother because a very long time ago she sent me to live with a lady they said was my stepmother. (Sold as restavek) I lived there and worked very hard for her for a long time. She got tired of me, I guess, and put me out about 1 year ago. I don't know where my mother lives now. When I lived with the stepmother, she would leave and not come back for 2 or 4 days and wouldn't leave any food or anything anywhere for me or any water either. The last time she came back she said I didn't clean her house while she was gone so she started hitting me with a board again and said to leave and don't come back."
Jackson Age: 14
"I'm not living with my mother because her boyfriend doesn't like me and he has his own children living in the house. If anything goes wrong in the house, they say that I was the one who did whatever was done. Then I get a beating. That's at least once a day. Sometimes he puts gravel under my knees and has me to hold big bolders in my hands above my head in the hot sun. He sends all his kids to school but not me. He beats me sometimes with pipes, sticks, and sometimes with the rigoise. I've been on the streets for 4 years".
Ronald E Age: 10
"My parents died of fever (HIV). I've been on the street by myself for a long time. Maybe about 4 years. I've been living with this lady for about 2 years who just so happened to pick me up on the street. She had me to wash dishes and carry water to her with buckets on my head. She also had me to take care of her donkeys. Feed them, wash them down and everything. She always beats me with big palm tree branches and hits me upside the head with pots and pans. Her name is "YaYa". After she finished beating me, she have me to sit down still without saying a word or moving for a very long time, then she would make me go away from her to play. She doesn't have a real house either. She made me sleep outside with the donkeys. I couldn't take the way she treats me anymore so I thought living nowhere would be better. I ran away."
Carlo Age: 10
"I never knew my mother or father because they died when I was a baby. I was living with the woman who took me after my family died. I had to run away from her because she beat me too much. All my life she beats me. She beats me with electric cords. She also beats me with broom sticks. She also used to slap me in my face and she always worked me to death day and night washing dishes, cleaning pots and pans and lifting buckets of water. She sends me to buy things and if I forget one little thing, she beats me for it. I've been on the street for 1 year now."
Taken to be raised as restavek after death of family.
Joslin J Age: 9
Samuel C Age: 14
Emmanuel C Age: 14
James T Age: 14
Luigi Age: 7
JnYves Age: 14
Many more of these children can be rescued from the streets as support for Haitian Street Kids, Inc. continues to grow. Please consider joining us in our efforts to speak up for the rights of these children, and to offer them protection, a home where their many needs can be provided for, and where they will find love and belonging.
