Fatima Orphanage
Fondwa, Haiti

The Fatima House orphanage houses between 50-55 children with an age range of 2 to 18 years. Most of these children are not true orphans, but are children from poor families that can not care for and feed them. Often children are placed in the orphanage after their parents bring them to the local health clinic near death from starvation.

ORPHANAGE CONSTRUCTION
When Family Health Ministries began work with the Association of Peasants of Fondwa, 50 children slept in eight bunk beds in a small, damp, rat infested, one bedroom shack with a dirt floor. There was no running water, electricity, but the children were clean, clothed and well loved. All children receive an education at the Fondwa School.

Phase I, completed in 2003, included the addition of three bedrooms made of concrete. With the addition of these rooms the children have been able to spread out and now each child has his or her own bed.

Phase II, completed in 2004 gave the children six additional rooms. 

Phase III, estimated at approximately $50.000 will be built where the original building stood. It is planned to include a cafeteria, new kitchen facility, chapel and bathrooms. Included in the cost of phase III is $15,000 for a generator.  It is our hope that the children will eventually have running water and electricity.

Before the bathroom addition, children scooped water from the cistern (left top) and then carried their bucket to an outdoor, screened area to bathe. The new bathroom will provide an indoor shower and toilet.

March 2009 bathroom addition and children playing in new courtyard

Click here to make a donation to the Fatima House construction or the ongoing expenses of approximately $1250 monthly, which include food and clothing for the children.


To learn more about other FHM projects and services in Fondwa, click here.