What is Hope for Kidz?

Hope for Kidz (HFK) is a child sponsorship program that Reciprocal Ministries International (RMI) founded in 1999 to meet the educational and physical needs of Haitian children who are unable to attend school due to severe poverty

Why is Hope for Kidz needed?

Due to poor state provision for education, private and parochial schools account for approximately 90% of primary schools in Haiti. Although Haitians place a high value on education, the cost of tuition is so high that few can afford to send their children to school.

What does Hope for Kidz provide?

Your sponsorship provides a needy child with a solid education, their school entrance fee, school tuition and books for the year, a school uniform and pair of shoes, and hot lunch (in some areas). For sponsors, RMI provides financial and educational accountability, fund distribution, a picture and profile of each child and the translation of one letter per year from your child. Additionally, RMI makes frequent visits to HFK schools to check on facilities and curriculum, check on academic performance, get updated pictures, confirm your child’s school attendance, and confirm appropriate fund disbursement.

Who administers Hope for Kidz?

HFK is administered by RMI staff in the US and in Haiti.  RMI has worked in cooperation with The Evangelical Baptist Mission of Southern Haiti (MEBSH) for over 40 years. MEBSH consists of over 487 churches in Southern Haiti.  Most MEBSH churches have schools that cover grades K-6^th.  Children from these schools are selected for sponsorship based on financial need by the local church’s pastor and school administrator.

How does the HFK Program work?

A picture and biography of each student is obtained by the RMI HFK Staff in Haiti and sent to the child’s prospective sponsor. Sponsorship funds are processed by the RMI office in Lehigh Acres, FL and then transferred to the RMI office in Haiti. Once funds have been received in Haiti, they are distributed to the appropriate pastor of the school’s parent church and the school administrator for the children in that school.  The pastor and administrator are then responsible to distribute the monies as designated.  They are required to give an accounting to the RMI HFK staff.

Who is RMI accountable to?  

RMI is a member in good standing with The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).  This is the evangelical “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval”.  RMI, as well as the Hope for Kidz Program, is governed by a Board of Directors who meets a minimum of 2 times each year.

How many kids are in the Program?

Last school year there were over 2017 children sponsored.  Our goal this year is to see at least 3000 children sponsored.

When is the Haitian school year?

It runs from September through June.

Who can sponsor a child?

Anyone can sponsor a child - individuals, families, small groups, or businesses.

How much does it cost to sponsor a child for one school year?

A onetime gift of $250. We do not have monthly payment plan at this time.

Will I be the only person sponsoring my child?

Yes.

Can I write to my child or send gifts?

Due to limited personnel and financial resources (a result of keeping the program costs very low to our US sponsors), this is not currently possible.  If you visit your Sister Church in Haiti, you will have the opportunity to bring your child a small gift.   RMI is committed to translating one letter each year from your child to you, but cannot translate a letter from you to your child.

Why do many of the letters from the students sound so generic?

Many of the sponsored children are young and unaccustomed to writing letters that require independent thought.  The teachers will often have students copy a pre-written letter from the blackboard.

Why do some of the children look older than 6^th grade?

Children in Haiti often delay their schooling due to limited resources. Children in the lower grades are often older than one might expect. Occasionally, exceptions are made to the 6sup>th grade limit for children of RMI staff and MEBSH Pastors.

What is a HFK Coordinator?

A HFK Coordinator acts as the facilitator, liaison, communicator and organizer in your church or community’s Hope for Kidz Program. This person advertises and recruits sponsors. They collect funds from sponsors and send them directly to RMI. They receive any translated letters and send them on to sponsors.

Who should you contact if you have additional questions?

If you have a HFK Coordinator, please ask them first.  If you do not have a HFK Coordinator or if your coordinator was unable to answer your question, feel free to contact the RMI office directly at 239.368.8390 or email hopeforkidz@rminet.org.  The HFK Staff will respond as soon as possible.