Path of hope
Precariousness pushes thousands of Haitians to entrust their children to reception centers, or to have them adopted. Most of these children leave the country, without their parents having any possibility of tracing them or having news of them.
Many parents do not know how international adoption works. "The 'madan sara' are sometimes victims," says journalist Michel Joseph. "Having no one to look after their child, they [sometimes] entrust them to a nursery so they can go about their business activities. When they return after eight or fifteen days, they are told that the child has already been adopted and that he or she has travelled."
In other situations, biological parents are victims of false promises. "Sometimes [nurseries, orphanages or foreign missions] promise them a small house or money, under the pretext of sponsorship, in exchange for the child."