Zions Children of Haiti

Zion's Children of Haiti has four main porjects that we work on:

-Student Sponsorship

-Hot Plate Program

-After School Program

-Haiti Missions

Student Sponsorships

Zion’s Children of Haiti believes that providing education for children is life-saving for the children and their families, and is the best way to positively impact the future of Gonaïves, and Haiti in general. We believe in focusing on individual children, not only from an academic point of view, but also ensuring good physical health, nutrition, and mental well-being.

Student sponsorship is the backbone to our organization and is essential in providing the opportunity for children to go to school. Student sponsorship is an opportunity to directly impact the future of an individual child by providing the majority of their costs for the year for tuition, books, and uniforms. The board of directors in Haiti selects children based on assessing need, aptitude, and the inherent desire of the children and their families. We provide sponsors with updated information about their sponsored children, including basic demographics, interests and dreams of the child, and academic progress throughout the school year. We hope that our sponsors develop a long-term interest in the child and, where means permit, follow the child through graduation.

Hot Plate Program

A hungry child is in survival mode and cannot succeed in school. We believe it is essential to the academic success of our sponsored children to be well-nourished. In 2012, due to a generous grant from the eBay Foundation, we were able to initiate a “Hot-Plate” program, where we provide a hot, well-balanced meal to children at least twice a week. These meals may be the only opportunity during the week that the children get to eat a hearty meal, with meat!

This program is so important to our children. We are looking for ways and opportunities to expand services and to continue this program for years to come. The cost for a single meal for a child is less than $3. 

After School Program 

In Haiti, the school day lets out at 2:00 PM and most children go home and complete chores, and may even be sent out to work. Most of the children’s parents are not available, or did not complete school, and are unable to help them with their homework. In 2012, we instituted our After-School program to provide tutoring help to those students who don’t have these resources at home. We found that many of our children were struggling academically and instituted this program as a way to help them succeed. The After-School program takes place 3 times a week at our office headquarters in Gonaïves. For a nominal fee, we have hired 2 academically-talented tutors who give the children the individual attention they need to succeed in school. This program is one illustration of the ways we are focusing on the individual and reaching out in creative ways to help these children.

Haiti Missions

Our missions to Haiti provide life-changing opportunities for those traveling from the USA, and more importantly, for people whom we work with in Gonaïves, Haiti. Every year we organize teams of volunteers who travel to Haiti to interact directly with the sponsored students and their families, meet community members in Gonaïves, and work with our Haitian board on the ground. Teams participate in summer camp activities and teach skills (arts, crafts, music, and sports), participate in various service projects, and deliver donations from the USA (back-packs, school supplies, toys, and other various requested items). Missions vary from year to year according to need expressed in Haiti, and the composition of the group traveling to Haiti. If you have a skill, we’d love to provide a means to use it!

Typically teams visit Haiti in summer/early fall and stay from 5 to 7 days. Preparation starts several months before a trip and includes participating in team meetings and gathering donations. Team members are responsible for all personal travel costs and expenses.