Photos Courtesy | Friends of Orphans
Heroes of Hope is a riveting video that uses powerful images, stories of struggle, and the tales of the people who rise up against struggle to make change. The video that has been televised on stations such as CNBC, and can be seen at here, takes the viewer on a journey of transformation from abandoned child, to family member, to future leader. The video was produced by Friends of the Orphans which is an organization that supports orphanages and outreach programs throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
I got a chance to speak with the CEO of Friends of the Orphans, Sharon Saxelby about the Heroes of Hope project and why they chose Haiti. “To us Haiti is the most difficult situation, economically in the western hemisphere. If you can find hope there (Haiti) you can find hope anywhere,” Sharon explains. The contrast is sharp as the video introduces the viewer to the problems of Haiti using haunting images, and staggering statistics such as the countries nearly ½ million orphans. This is quickly met with the stories of children who have found stability at the orphanage. Stability is a key aspect to the success of Friends of the Orphans and the programs it partners with. “It is amazing what can happen when kids are loved. And given the opportunity to be a part of a safe stable environment,” she explains. In Haiti the children are not waiting to be adopted, but rather being raised in a family style group home until they reach adulthood. This forms a community of children who were once disinherited and are now forming bonds that can last a lifetime.
