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ShareRestavek Foundation Staff Survived Earthquake
Former Westheimer Peace Symposium speaker Jean Robert Cadet and the 92 staff and children are safe in Haiti.
01/20/10
Former Westheimer Peace Symposium speaker Jean-Robert Cadet and the 92 staff and children are safe in Haiti.
Jean Robert-Cadet was once a child slave in Haiti, known as restavek. As a restavek he lost his childhood as he worked from sunup to sundown. Like countless others he dressed in rags, slept on the floor and endured countless beatings. Yet unlike them, he was able to escape through education. Today he wants to help bring an end to the restavek system and bring hope and freedom to the children of Haiti, so he created the Jean Cadet Restavek Foundation out of Cincinnati, Ohio, http://www.restavekfreedom.org/. He was a speaker at the Westheimer Peace Symposium in 2002 and spoke about “Restavec Girls: Silence, Submission and Servitude.”
The Restavek Foundation staff sent the following e-mail regarding the situation in Haiti after the devastating earthquake occurred Tuesday, 12, 2009. At the bottom are links for support and donations.
Jean Robert-Cadet was once a child slave in Haiti, known as restavek. As a restavek he lost his childhood as he worked from sunup to sundown. Like countless others he dressed in rags, slept on the floor and endured countless beatings. Yet unlike them, he was able to escape through education. Today he wants to help bring an end to the restavek system and bring hope and freedom to the children of Haiti, so he created the Jean Cadet Restavek Foundation out of Cincinnati, Ohio, http://www.restavekfreedom.org/. He was a speaker in 2002 at the Westheimer Peace Symposium and spoke about “Restavec Girls: Silence, Submission and Servitude.”
The Restavek Foundation staff sent the following e-mail regarding the situation in Haiti after the devastating earthquake occurred Tuesday, 12, 2009. At the bottom are links for support and donations.
“We are happy to report that Jean Robert Cadet is safe and on his way to the
Dominican Republic to enter into Haiti to help out with the relief efforts.
Jean Marie, Joan and Ray Conn are safe 100 miles out in Port Salut and are
keeping us informed of their immediate efforts. We have also been in contact
with our Haiti staff that are also safe at this time in Port au Prince and
are working hard to locate their loved ones and children in restavek.
Haitians living in the poorest of poor conditions are finding themselves
unable to withstand this level of calamity. Moreover, the children we so
passionately work with and support have been instantly thrown into a
situation of astronomical proportions, which no child should have to endure
without a loving family to support them. Unfortunately, the reality is grim
for our children living in restavek. Their current situation now leaves them
even more vulnerable prey to those looking to take advantage of a
country brought to its knees. It is our immediate goal to reach out, locate
and continue to support those children that are lost or in need of urgent
help. 44% of our children living in Restavek come from areas in and around
the devastated areas of Port-au-Prince. This is a country that is not well
equipped or able to react to the type of first response or rescue
capabilities so desperately needed in these critical hours. We absolute need
YOUR support more than ever as we move forward on the ground.
The Montana hotel where most of the team stayed on our trips to Haiti has
been destroyed and the reports are that as many as 200 + people are either
buried alive or dead there. All roads into Port au Prince have been closed
and looting is starting. There is no power and we are sure water will
become a major issue within the next two days. We are starting to set up an
effort to help the schools where our children are and provide direct relief
to the children as we find them. Our team is working hard to figure out the
best response to this catastrophic event and we will keep everyone informed
over the next several days as we learn more about the situation unfolding in
Haiti. We ask that you continue to keep our staff and the people of Haiti in
your thoughts and prayers. Your continued support and awareness will help to
protect these children in their most vulnerable days ahead. Please keep our
staff, children and people of Haiti in your thoughts and prayers.
There are people in the dark, and you have a way to shed some needed light
on their future.
REAL HOPE HAS ACTION BEHIND IT!*
*Immediate relief donations can be made to our link below:*
http://www.restavekfreedom.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=3Ddonate.start&destinat=
ion=3DG<http://click.email.globalcloud.net/?ju=3Dfe2616757d66017e761d74&ls=>=3Dfdf21c777564017473177674&m=3Dfedb15707565047f&l=3Dfe6615757261057c7511&s==3Dfdee157572620d7b71117477&jb=3Dffcf14&t=3D>
*100% *of your contributions go directly to the relief efforts of our
schools & children in restavek. Please indicate =93Relief funds=94 in the
instructions area.
Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by this
tragedy,
The Restavek Foundation Staff
http://www.restavekfreedom.org/"
