Engaging Locally
In partnership with International Social Service (ISS) and local NGO Rapha International, SPOON is working to ensure that children in Haiti successfully transition from living in institutions to living with permanent families. Our program in Port-au-Prince, Haiti focuses on young people living at a transit center, which houses children whose families are unable to care for them until a permanent family placement is found (on average, two to three years).
Through this program, SPOON is developing a comprehensive training package that equips caregivers with knowledge and skills that can facilitate a successful transition from institution to family life. While there are many components that contribute to a successful transition, SPOON ensures that healthy nutrition and safe feeding are central to the reintegration plan.
National Impact
We are also working with the Haitian national social welfare office (IBESR) to deploy trainings for transit center caregivers and IBESR staff. We will deliver 10 online courses on nutrition and feeding to transit center staff starting in April, while our local partners support these courses with weekly in-person workshops that will help participants reinforce learning, share practical experiences, and put newly learned skills into practice.
Ultimately, this partnership will result in staff at both the transit center and IBESR being better able to meet government standards of care for vulnerable children.
Our Future in Haiti
Moving forward, SPOON will continue to work with the transit center on family reintegration, while strengthening our partnership with IBESR. We envision a future where we disseminate best practices and recommendations to caregivers at a national level, scale up reintegration training to serve other transit centers in Haiti, and work to promote family preservation by offering support and accessible services in the community.
