For many of the families in Haiti’s Strong Families program, homework time can be the most difficult part of the day. Like so many families around the world, parents and students feel tension between school work being assigned and getting it done. Haitian families Back2Back serves have an added layer of difficulty – many of the parents served did not complete schooling of their own and are unable to read. Families with high school-aged students know their teens are under a lot of pressure to do well on exams that will allow them to graduate, and they didn’t want them falling behind due to a lack of resources and assistance.

In response to this concern, Back2Back staff instituted a great deal of educational support for the children and teens on campus. These tutoring opportunities allow youth to receive experiences they wouldn’t have in their local schools. There, a lack of technology means classes are predominantly listening and taking notes by hand. On campus, staff are able to provide video-based and online learning, opening up exposure to special experiments and crafts they couldn’t otherwise access. 

Currently, 55 children are participating in Strong Families tutoring opportunities: Spanning from Kindergarten to 8th grade, they meet twice a week in the afternoon after their school days. This educational support is fundamental for the children to achieve success. The staff tutor shared recently, “Supporting educational growth is so important because before this endeavour, the children were having difficulty in school, especially with homework, but today, they feel like they are advancing, they are making progress, and we are all happy about it.”

Significant progress is evident. Many of the younger children started unable to identify letters, read, or write. Today, they are writing on their own and learning how to read. Their parents feel relieved that they are receiving the support needed to succeed.

Please join Back2Back in prayer for continued progress for the students and their families. So much of day-to-day life in Haiti is insecure right now, but one day at a time, dedicated staff are providing stability to ensure children can flourish in safe spaces.