Hello my friends, and welcome to my first ever blog! My goal for this blog is to track the progress of my brand new adventure, and first ever business venture. The other day Kristen and I were having a conversation about how so many entrepreneurs have begun their own businesses in an effort to help those in need. Needless to say we were talking about Toms in particular, and how smart it was to make shoes to sell, and then promise to give back shoes to kids who need them. We also talked about what kinds of things we wanted to do when we were in Haiti, and who we wanted to help. Most of you probably know that over the past few years, thanks to my friend Julie's encouragement, I have been going to Haiti to spend time with, and help my friends at the Good Shepherd Orphanage, located in Carrefour. Kristen and I agree that it is important to us to help all of the children at the orphanage, but we are especially concerned for the well-being of the teenage girls that live there. Numbering 5 amongst 50 some male counterparts, these young girls are expected to attend school daily, help cook, clean, and do several hours of laundry per day for all of the men and boys living at the orphanage. Now don't get my wrong, i do not fear the well being of these women, and I believe that their place at the orphanage is a blessing considering how so many other women live in Haiti, but looking forward I do fear these women's future.
When I was spending time at the Orphanage over Christmas one of the older boys tried to explain to me, in broken English and Haitian Creole that when a Haitian man and woman get married that the woman expects the her husband to beat her, so that she may respect him. He told me that the man beats the woman several times a day so that she will always make sure that she cooks and cleans and does laundry for him, not to mention take care of their children. He then proceeded to tell me that he did not like to beat women, and that if I married him, he would not beat me; which of coarse i greatly appreciated hearing, but it just shows me a difference between their culture and ours.
Kristen and I think the best way we can use our talents and resources to make a difference in Haiti is to continue helping at the orphanage, and work towards larger goals such as creating a place for displaced women to come for several kinds of needs. In posts to come i will explain in great detail our plans to to start an organization, sell headbands, and what Souri Avi means to us.
No comments:
Post a Comment