At-Risk Youth Outreach
Beginning in 1850, Don Bosco opened his heart and home to children who had nowhere else to go. His care for such children was not based on authoritarianism. Rather, he believed in young people's capacity for discernment of good and bad. Don Bosco also knew that education and growth are really affairs of the heart. Children must know that they are loved and that they are trusted.
Lakou and Lakay
Port-au-Prince
Lakou and Lakay are two centers which work to give new opportunities to children living on the streets. Staff visit public places such as markets and street corners in Port-au-Prince in order to encounter the youth that are there. During these visits trust is gained, friendships are developed, and often a choice is made on the part of the youth to visit Lakou, a center intended to help children adapt and recuperate from their time on the streets. After a period of visiting the center, if it is clear that a youth is serious about leaving the streets, he is invited to join Lakay, which means “Home” in Creole. 150 boys from ages 14-18 live in five dormitories, each possessing 2 house parents. The children share their joys, their power to create, their suffering, their thoughts, and their games. They receive vocational training, psychological support, and assistance in family reconciliation. Participants leave the center with a solid formation and the ability to successfully enter into society and the workforce as good Christians and citizens.
View a short documentary about 3 former participants of Lakay (French language)
Lakou and Lakay Annex
Cap-Haïtien
Upon observing that many children from the north of the country were traveling to Port-Au-Prince to join Lakou and Lakay, the Salesians decided to create another center in order to prevent the migration and to give the children the opportunity to remain closer to their homes. The Annex was founded in 2008 in Cap-Haïtien, and it utilizes the same three-step model as the centers in Port-au-Prince. Children are provided with learning opportunities and vocational training, and family reconciliations are encouraged. About 100 children and young adults come every day to learn and be nourished; 25 others have housing at the center.
Timkatec
Pétion-Ville
Timkatec, located in Pétion-Ville, serves 600 youth who are in vulnerable situations. Operating in a similar fashion to Lakou and Lakay, the project is composed of three centers which provide food, education, healthcare, housing, and respect to those who need it most. 140 youth ages 8-16 participate in an accelerated program of elementary education, while about 180 young adults apply themselves to vocational training in disciplines such as Electricity, Plumbing, Joinery, Couture, Cooking, and Cosmetology. An additional center provides training specifically for girls, many of whom have labored in domestic service. The Creole word “Timakatec”, refers to playing marbles. The name suggests that the youth should give it another shot and try their luck again.
