Their Need

The State of Education in Haiti...

• 50% of Haiti’s 8 million people are under the age of 25

• Only 55% of school age children receive an education

• Only 2% will finish the US equivalent of high school

• Roughly 1/3 of youth between ages 15-24 are illiterate

Children who aren’t in school…

• Must work to help keep the family household running

• Must care for younger siblings

• Lack money needed to pay for school fees, transportation, uniforms, supplies, and food

• Lack medical resources or food needed to stay healthy and attend school

The cost of education in Haiti is very high and for the most part is inaccessible to the average Haitian. Due to weak state provision of educational services, private and parochial schools account for about 90% of primary schools. Although Haitians place a high value on education, few can afford to send their children to school. In Haiti’s overall development, education remains a key obstacle to economic and social advancement.

The January 12, 2010 earthquake killed many of the country’s young, educated professionals who were in Port-au-Prince to earn a living for their family in the countryside. Many of the families affected by the earthquake have lost everything and are now unable to pay to send their children to school.

  The Opportunity

Hope for Kidz is a child sponsorship program founded by Reciprocal Ministries International (RMI) in 1999 to meet the educational and physical needs of Haitian children who are unable to attend school due to their severe poverty. RMI partners with schools that are part of the Evangelical Baptist Mission of Southern Haiti (MEBSH). MEBSH schools typically cover grades K-6. Children that need sponsorship are chosen based on their financial need by the associated church’s pastor and the school administrator.

   New Monthly Payment Plan

In response to countless requests for a monthly payment option for the Hope for Kidz Program, RMI has decided that the time has come to make the switch. RMI trusts that this new option will enable people who might not be able to afford a lump sum one-time payment to be able to now sponsor a child for the first time.

New Monthly Rate: $28 per month
Start Date: March 2012 for the 2012-2013 school year

  New Pricing Structure

While making this option available, RMI also analyzed their current sponsorship rate. The basic Hope for Kidz sponsorship amount has stayed at $200 for approximately 7 years (not including the $50 increase to help fund the hot lunch program). In recent years, Haiti has been impacted by global inflation even more so than the US. This inflation has dramatically impacted the costs associated with education such as tuition rates, entrance fees, school supplies, etc. Because RMI does not want to limit any child in their access to a quality Christian education, the decision was made to change the sponsorship rate from $250 a year to that of $28 per month.

  Transitioning to Monthly Payment Plan

The first monthly payment needs to be made by March 2012. This will ensure that RMI has the resources available to provide for all your child needs to start school.

How to Transition to the Monthly Payment Plan:

Option 1: Fill out an automatic recurring payment authorization form and return it to RMI (also available from your Hope for Kidz coordinator)

Option 2: Renew online at here

Option 3: Call the RMI Office at 239.368.8990 to set up recurring monthly payments.

Option 4: Send monthly check directly to RMI at 5475 Lee Street, Suite 301, Lehigh Acres, FL 33971.  Make sure to include child’s name and ID number.

  New Benefits for Sponsors

• The ability to spread sponsorship payment out over a full year via the monthly plan

• The opportunity to send and receive 1-2 letters per year to their child. This has been something that  many sponsors have desired and we are now able to accommodate

• Additional opportunities for interaction with their sponsored child are continuing to be examined and evaluated for possible future implementation

  Continued & New Benefits to the Sponsored Child

• Continued provision of a quality Christian education

• Continued provision of needed school supplies

• Continued expansion of hot lunch program  (currently feeding over 2,600 children  in 12 schools each day)

• New Community Health Training Program in the schools starting with Annual De-Worming and Prevention Education

• Establishment of a new Emergency Major Medical Needs Fund for sponsored children:  Continued provision of a quality Christian education

• Continued provision of needed school supplies

• Continued expansion of hot lunch program  (currently feeding over 2,600 children  in 12 schools each day)

• New Community Health Training Program in the schools starting with Annual De-Worming and Prevention Education

• Establishment of a new Emergency Major Medical Needs Fund for sponsored children

  Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Q. When do I need to start paying in order for my child to be enrolled in school in the fall of 2012?
A. In order for the start-up costs to be covered by the beginning of school, the first monthly payment must be made by March 2012.

Q. How do I know if I will have the same child for the 2012-2013 school year?
A. Unless your child graduates or leaves the program, you can be assured that you will be continuing on with the same child. In the unlikely case that your child has graduated or left the program, RMI will work with you to provide you with a new child. Should your child not continue in the program and you do not choose to take on a new child, any funds received up until that point will be applied to the Hope for Kidz Program.

Q. When will my child’s new profile arrive?
A. New profiles will be distributed through your Hope for Kidz coordinator by August 2012 at the very latest.

Q. Can I still pay annually?
A. Yes. The annual cost is $336 per year. However, RMI is offering a special introductory offer of $300 for the 2012-2013 school year if payment is received by June 30, 2012.

Q. What if my financial situation changes and I am unable to fulfill my sponsorship commitment?
A. RMI will assume that you will be continuing your sponsorship of your child for as long as the child is available for sponsorship unless you indicate otherwise (a minimum of 12 months commitment). If your financial situation changes, please contact RMI as soon as possible. We would ask that you give us three months lead time before cancelling payment. This will enable us to find another sponsor for your child if at all possible.

Q. Who can I contact if I still have questions?
A. If you have questions that your Hope for Kidz Coordinator is unable to answer, contact Amanda at the RMI Office in Florida at amanda.biser@rminet.org or 239.368.8390.

  A Haitian Proverb states that “Hope gives man the reason to live”. The Hope for Kidz program is providing HOPE today for Haiti’s tomorrow!

Make the Choice to Impact a Child’s Life TODAY!