The Fate of Haiti's Children

By Jeralyn, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Sat Jan 16, 2010 at 03:36:29 PM EST
Tags: Haiti (all tags)

Share This: Digg!

What will happen to the orphaned, homeless, sick and at-risk children in Haiti, who make up more than half of the country's population? Efforts are underway by Catholic Legal Services in South Florida to bring many here, for adoption, foster care or other placement. This was done for Cuban children in Operation Pedro Pan in the 1960s.

What's needed: Passports, Emergency visas, the granting of refugee status, faster paperwork processing.

We really need to get the injured children to places with adequate surgical and medical facilities.

Related Haiti Developments: [More...]

The earthquake has wiped out jobs and schools and large parts of the government infrastructure. How will the population earn money to live going forward? The window is closing on finding survivors. So many need surgery and medical care that's not yet available due to the shortage of operating space and inability to get the supplies in.

Looting is rising as people run out of patience to wait for food and help to reach them. They are also leaving Port Au Prince, on foot, but where will they go?

The Red Cross now estimates the death toll will be at least 100,000.

< Hillary Arrives in Haiti | Another Consequence of the Coakley Race: Dawn Johnsen >

Legal

Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. TalkLeft does not give legal advice.

TalkLeft is not responsible for and often disagrees with material posted in the comments section. Read at your own risk.

The Fate of Haiti's Children | 5 comments (5 topical)

Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

Not to disparage the Haitians.... (none / 0) (#1)
by Salo on Sat Jan 16, 2010 at 06:06:49 PM EST

... But it must be like a George H Romero film. Starving people no water no food. What do you thinkll happen?

Have you read "Waiting (none / 0) (#2)
by oculus on Sat Jan 16, 2010 at 07:51:48 PM EST

for Snow in Havana" by Carlos Eire? Kids transported from Cuba to U.S. were minors, many of whose parents remained in Cuba either permanently or for a considerable period of time after the kids came to U.S. Not a guaranteed happy ending.

: But these children wouldn't have (none / 0) (#3)
by nycstray on Sat Jan 16, 2010 at 08:22:26 PM EST

parents, right?
I wouldn't be surprised to see some brought here (NYC).

SOS Children's Villages (none / 0) (#4)
by DaveOinSF on Sat Jan 16, 2010 at 09:12:36 PM EST

For a contrary view, this is what SOS Children's Villages has to say on the subject.

http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/charity-news/notoadoptions

Good news for those amid adoption (none / 0) (#5)
by Cream City on Sat Jan 16, 2010 at 10:01:45 PM EST

before this disaster -- those in process, almost at the end of it, but now so many papers and passports have been lost in the collapse of government facilities. However, the Haiti ambassador to the U.S. reassured prospective parents, in an interview on CNN, that the process need not start over, and he outlined another route to complete the process.

I understand and support the SOS about not adopting earthquake orphans, who may not be orphans -- as our own country has a horrible history of breaking up families here in the U.S. for the "orphan trains" of the 19th century. But there are actual orphans in Haiti, well along in the adoption process, who will be heading to homes instead of institutions.