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Project - MADRE / KOFAVIV |
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MADRE / KOFAVIV
madre.org
See our updated report on the project completion.
 MADRE / KOFAVIV
Haiti’s catastrophic January 2010 earthquake lasted only a few seconds but changed the lives of thousands of young girls forever. After losing their families, homes and everything familiar, countless orphaned girls were thrust into dangerous displacement camps. There, they face unsanitary conditions, health dangers, little protection from violence and little supervision or care.
These girls struggle to survive. They scour the camps for necessities every day. Often, they have no other option than to exchange sex for basics, such as a meal, shelter or a sliver of soap. Young girls engaged in survival sex are exposed to serious health risks, severe psychological trauma and life-threatening violence.
It doesn’t take a lot of money to enable a girl to break free of survival sex, if her daily needs are met. To do this, MADRE, in collaboration with KOFAVIV, works to meet the critical needs of girls in post-earthquake Haiti.
Here, girls can get the care they need—a warm meal, medical treatment, counseling and social support. Girls learn about their health and human rights. They also learn how to reach out to other vulnerable girls in the camps, expanding the circle of support that’s enabling Haitian women and girls to rebuild their lives in the wake of disaster.
Girls are given the skills, knowledge and resources to stop engaging in survival sex and to build new and safer lives. They build their confidence through support networks and friendships. Temporary shelter and immediate medical assistance are provided for girls in need. Girls receive psychosocial support through ongoing group therapy and begin to heal from emotional trauma and depression.
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