Haiti's Faith-Based Lawsuit: Justice For The Vulnerable

have faith haiti lawsuit

Have Faith Haiti is a non-profit organisation that provides safety, nourishment, education, and opportunities for impoverished children and orphans in Haiti. It was founded in the 1980s by a Detroit pastor as The Caring and Sharing Mission and later renamed Have Faith Haiti after it was taken over by A Hole in the Roof Foundation, founded by author and journalist Mitch Albom. The organisation offers a loving home where children can thrive personally, academically, and spiritually, with a pathway to attend college or vocational training.

Characteristics Values
Name Have Faith Haiti
Founder A Detroit pastor
Current Operator A Hole in the Roof Foundation
Founder of A Hole in the Roof Foundation Author and journalist Mitch Albom
Year Founded 1980s
Year A Hole in the Roof Foundation Assumed Operation 2010
Location Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Mission To bring hope, leadership, and generational change to Haiti through serving impoverished children and orphans
Services Provided Safety, nourishment, education, and opportunity for children; stability for staff and their families

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Have Faith Haiti's work with impoverished children and orphans

Have Faith Haiti, previously known as The Caring and Sharing Mission, was founded in the 1980s by a Detroit pastor. The mission provides a loving home for impoverished children and orphans in Haiti, where they can thrive personally, academically, and spiritually. The children are offered safety, nourishment, education, and opportunities to attend college or vocational training. The mission aims to empower them to become changemakers and leaders in their communities.

In 2010, following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the A Hole in the Roof Foundation, a non-profit founded by author and journalist Mitch Albom, chose the mission as its second project. The foundation raised over $82,000 to rebuild and repair the home, which had more than seventy children. A group of skilled tradesmen from Detroit, known as the Detroit Muscle Crew, made several trips to Haiti to repair existing spaces, build bathrooms and showers, and construct a new school building.

The mission, now renamed Have Faith Haiti, continued to face challenges. In 2015, Chika Jeune, a child at the mission, was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. She received treatment in Michigan and lived with Mitch and Janine Albom until her passing in 2017. The Chika Fund was established in her memory to cover medical costs and provide healthcare for other children in need.

In 2022, the mission moved to a larger and safer property in Port-au-Prince, as the original facility had become too small and the surrounding area more unstable. Have Faith Haiti remains dedicated to bringing hope, leadership, and generational change to Haiti through their work with impoverished children and orphans.

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The role of A Hole in the Roof Foundation in rebuilding the orphanage

The A Hole in the Roof Foundation played a pivotal role in rebuilding and repairing the orphanage in Haiti, which was founded in the 1980s as The Caring and Sharing Mission. The Foundation, a non-profit established by author and journalist Mitch Albom, chose the Mission as its second project after the devastating 2010 earthquake. Over $82,000 was raised in just 19 days to support this endeavour.

The Foundation's initial focus was on providing essential infrastructure and living spaces for the more than seventy children who called the orphanage home. A group of skilled tradesmen from Detroit, known as the Detroit Muscle Crew, made multiple trips to Haiti to lend their expertise. They worked tirelessly to repair existing spaces, construct bathrooms and showers, and build a new school building, ensuring the children had a safe and comfortable environment to live and learn in.

The Detroit Muscle Crew's dedication extended beyond the initial repairs, as they continued to improve various infrastructure needs through 2013. Their efforts culminated in the opening of a new bilingual school in November 2011, providing a much-needed educational space for the children. Additionally, with generous donations, the Foundation was able to repair a dangerous and crumbling stone wall on the property, enhancing the safety and security of the orphanage.

However, the Foundation recognised that the Mission needed more than just physical repairs. In December 2010, they assumed full responsibility for the Mission, renaming it Have Faith Haiti, inspired by Albom's book, "Have a Little Faith." Under the Foundation's leadership, the orphanage provides a loving home, nourishment, education, and opportunities for impoverished children and orphans in Haiti. The children are given a pathway to attend college or vocational training, empowering them to become changemakers and leaders within their community.

The role of the A Hole in the Roof Foundation was instrumental in not just rebuilding the physical structure of the orphanage but also in transforming it into a thriving, nurturing environment that empowers children to break free from the cycle of poverty and bring about generational change in Haiti.

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The impact of the 2010 Haiti earthquake on the mission

The 2010 Haiti earthquake had a devastating impact on the country, with long-lasting effects that were still being felt years later. The earthquake caused massive loss of life, with estimates of the death toll ranging from 220,000 to 316,000 people. More than a million people were left homeless, and the quake affected a total of 3 million people. The capital, Port-au-Prince, was particularly hard hit, with 86% of its residents living in slum conditions before the earthquake. The city's poor-quality housing contributed to the high death toll and extensive damage.

The earthquake also had a significant impact on the mission of Have Faith Haiti, an organisation that provides safety, nourishment, education, and opportunity for impoverished children and orphans in the country. Following the earthquake, the organisation launched a campaign to raise funds for an orphanage in Haiti, reflecting the immense need for support and the scale of the disaster's impact on the country's most vulnerable populations.

Have Faith Haiti, operated by the A Hole in the Roof Foundation, became involved in the relief and recovery efforts. The foundation was committed to rebuilding and repairing the home of more than seventy children affected by the earthquake. They raised significant funds and mobilised skilled volunteers to carry out repairs and improvements to the infrastructure. The volunteers made several trips to Haiti to build bathrooms and showers, repair existing spaces, and construct a new school building.

The earthquake's impact extended beyond the immediate physical damage and loss of life. It disrupted communication systems, transport facilities, hospitals, and electrical networks, hindering rescue and aid efforts. The slow distribution of aid led to anger, looting, and sporadic violence. The aftermath of the earthquake also presented challenges in terms of sanitation, medical care, and access to clean water, further exacerbating the difficulties faced by those affected.

The road to recovery was long, and even years after the earthquake, the effects were still visible. Have Faith Haiti continued its efforts to support the children and provide them with a safe and nurturing environment. They expanded their work, building permanent homes, creating job opportunities, and implementing critical infrastructure projects. The organisation's focus on education and personal development aimed to empower young Haitians to become agents of change and leaders in their communities.

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The expansion of the mission to a larger, safer property

Have Faith Haiti, originally known as The Caring and Sharing Mission, was founded in the 1980s by a Detroit pastor. The mission provides safety, nourishment, education, and opportunities for impoverished children and orphans in Haiti, offering a loving home where they can thrive personally, academically, and spiritually.

In 2010, following a devastating earthquake in Haiti, the A Hole in the Roof Foundation, founded by author and journalist Mitch Albom, chose the mission as its second project. The foundation raised funds, rebuilt and repaired the home, and assumed operation of the mission, renaming it Have Faith Haiti.

However, by 2022, the mission had outgrown its original facility, and the surrounding area had become less secure and more unstable. This prompted the decision to relocate to a larger and safer property in Port-au-Prince. The new location provides the necessary space to continue their vital work of serving Haiti's children and offering them a pathway to a brighter future through education and personal development.

The expansion of the mission demonstrates the ongoing commitment of Have Faith Haiti and its supporters to bring hope, leadership, and generational change to the country. Through their efforts, they are making a lasting impact on the lives of Haiti's children, empowering them to become changemakers and leaders in their communities.

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The story of Chika Jeune, a child at the mission who received a brain tumour diagnosis

Chika Jeune was just three days old when a massive earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, demolishing everything around her. For months afterward, Chika and her mother slept in the sugarcane fields, forging forward in extreme poverty while Haiti desperately struggled to recover. Chika was brought to the Have Faith Haiti Mission when she was three years old, after her mother passed away during childbirth.

In May 2015, Chika, a child at the mission, was diagnosed with a DIPG brain tumor and came to Michigan for treatment. Mitch and Janine Albom, who run the mission, brought her from Haiti to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, hoping that she could be cured. That was where Mitch and Janine learned the devastating reality: Chika had DIPG. The survival rate is basically zero. Doctors estimated Chika had four months to live. They gently suggested Mitch and Janine take her back to Haiti to live out her remaining days. But the couple refused. “She’s a fighter,” Mitch said. “And if she fights, we’re gonna fight.”

Chika underwent brain surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. She also received an experimental procedure called CED, Convection Enhanced Delivery, in which a catheter is inserted directly into the tumor, and a radioactive iodine, attached to an antibody, is dripped through the tube and into the cancerous tissue. Despite their efforts, Chika passed away on April 7, 2017, at the age of seven.

Chika's story inspired the creation of The Chika Fund, which covers medical costs and healthcare for other children at the Have Faith Haiti Mission.

Frequently asked questions

Have Faith Haiti is an organization that provides safety, nourishment, education, and opportunities for impoverished children and orphans in Haiti. It was founded in the 1980s by a Detroit pastor as The Caring and Sharing Mission.

Have Faith Haiti is operated by A Hole in the Roof Foundation, a non-profit founded by author and journalist Mitch Albom.

Following the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, A Hole in the Roof Foundation launched a campaign to raise funds for an orphanage in the country. The Foundation then assumed operation of The Caring and Sharing Mission, renaming it Have Faith Haiti, inspired by Albom's book, "Have a Little Faith.".

Have Faith Haiti provides a loving home for children to thrive personally, academically, and spiritually. The organization offers a pathway for children to attend college or vocational training and return as leaders in the Haitian community.

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