ABOUT OUR FAMILY
Kay Angel is Creole for Angel House. We started our little family in 2007 and it is now the home of thirteen special children. Half are HIV positive, one suffers from cerebral palsy, and all are lucky to be alive. There are an estimated 250 000 [230 000–280 000] adults and children living with HIV in the Caribbean. Haiti alone accounts for 55% of all people living with HIV in the Caribbean.
Source: UNAIDS / UNICEF / WHO estimates, 2013
The initiative and funding to start the Kay Angel came from Martin Schmitt and his family, but the love, passion and commitment to care for thirteen children under adverse conditions around the clock came from its first director of five years, Lia van de Donk. Tragically, Lia passed away in June of 2012, leaving a huge void in the lives of the children and the community.
Within days of Lia’s death, Gala Calisto, a long-time friend and supporter of Kay Angel, stepped in as director and works around the the clock to continue Lia’s legacy while raising the kids as her own.
Kay Angel provides the basics building blocks that form our kids family home like housing, school, nutrition, medical care.... but it's not enough. Our true vision is to invest in their future and empower our children to become productive contributors to communities that they came from. We are committed to giving them the tools they need to learn how to live within Haitian social/economic norms and how to battle adversity as well as discrimination they may face due to their situation. We are coaching them to rise above it all and stand strong as individuals and most importantly how do it as a family. Haiti is a beautiful and culturally rich country filled with lots of potential, and we want our kids to be proud of who they are by continuously exploring everything Jacmel and Haiti can offer to them.
Support for Kay Angel comes from the the Schmitt family, private donations and local support from some amazing friends.
Click below to find out how you can support the Kay Angel Family!