Research on the Condition of the Residences of Restavek Children
Researchers have determined the following:
- 60.3 percent of child domestic workers live in rural areas,
- 39.7 percent of child domestic workers live in urban areas.
62 percent of all respondents said was that Restavek homes are Kay bas. Notably, this was the most common answer. Specifically, Kay bas implies a concrete home with a corrugated metal sheet roof). Additionally, the research found the following types of homes:
- 20 percent are in other types of concrete or wooden structures
- 8 percent are Ajoupa -- built from vegetation
- 1 percent are in tents or temporary shelters
- 1 percent are in apartment buildings
Almost two-thirds of these homes had laid floors (cement or mud). Likewise, the other third had floors made of mud.
Nearly one fourth -- 23 percent --of all Restavek lived in homes without any toilets of any kind. The remaining homes have access to a nearby latrine of various designs ranging from a pit latrine with a concrete floor, to a latrine without a laid floor -- that is just a dirt floor. A small minority -- 11 percent -- lived in homes with a water closet.
Restavek
In Haiti, many poor rural families send their children to be domestic servants. Generally, they hope to provide a better future for them in the homes of urban / semi-urban families. Thus, these children, mostly girls are vulnerable to emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Notably, people call these children Restavek.
Data Source
Haiti Now used data from notable institutions. Specifically, these were the FAFO Research Foundation and Institut Haitian del’ Enfance. The data is from 2013 - 2014.
Haiti Now has published this data online in an interactive manner. Click here to review this data in more detail. Particularly, it shows other dimensions of the living conditions of Restavek in Haiti.
Another Option for Abandoned Girls in Domestic Servitude
Haiti Now ‘s mission is to give Restavek girls the ability to:
- leave domestic servitude, and
- prepare for the future they and their parents had hoped for.
Our current goal is to build a residential school for Restavek girls. We intend to provide the support needed for these girls to build a healthy and financially secure future, all under one roof.
In this residential school, girls will receive:
- an accelerated education,
- health care,
- emotional support,
- mentoring,
- arts and sports, and
- healthy socialization with peers and adults.
Envision the opportunity for these girls reaching their potential at our residential school, and join us to build this facility.
Please support us at https://www.haiti-now.org/donate/