Orphanage Life

• Self-starters who do not need a lot of supervision
• Someone with specific skills who would not be taking the job of a Haitian
• Someone who has taken or is willing to participate in a recognized child-protection training (the one we use is VIRTUS, which you can check out on-line).
• Someone good at interacting with the children.
• Someone who passes a background check.
• Someone who speaks French or Creole along with English. They can help children by tutoring in math, science, biology, or English.

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Students can live in the residence until they are 18. Once they are older we provide assistance for them to live in the community and continue to fund their educational expenses.  Our University students also live off-campus but continue to be financially supported.

School-age. Typically between 4 and 18 years old.

The children should be orphans and they are in many cases.  However, in some cases, the child may have one or both parents still living but those parents cannot care for the child.  In some cases, children are referred to us that have been found with no food, left to beg in the streets.

Some of the children come on their own.  They tell their story and it is verified as much as can be done.  This might include a site visit to the last place the child called home.

Sometimes the child is brought by a grandparent or other relative. Usually, this is because the grandparent or relative has been left in charge of the child but the adult is too old or too poor to care for the child.  Sometimes the child is brought by the police or the mayor who believes this is a good child that will die if left to try to live alone in the streets.

Each resident is expected to attend school. The school day starts at 8:30 AM for primary school and 7 AM for High School. Children attended the primary school on campus or attended the local High Schools in Hinche. We also have 5 MFO Scholars attending college or Vo-Tech learning centers. At the end of each semester, grades are collected and monitored to help each student stay on track to reach their goals.

Many of the travelers from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia travel to and from Haiti by American or Delta Airlines. Airfare costs per round trip have been averaging from $600 to $900. There is also a surcharge per checked bag depending on the airline.

Once in Haiti, MFO will gladly arrange for your transport to Hinche – the roundtrip cost is $300 including the vehicle, fuel and driver. This can be split between your group. Once at the orphanage, meals and lodging are $50/night and wireless internet is included.

Before you go to Haiti, please consult your primary care physician about your international travel.  You can also find more information at www.cdc.gov.

Several companies provide low-cost insurance for overseas medical care and even med-evac coverage in case of emergencies requiring immediate medical evacuation to the U.S.