Bringing hope and love to vulnerable children and their families living in extreme poverty in southwest Haiti.
On Haiti’s southern coast, families face some of the toughest conditions in the Western Hemisphere. Years of political unrest, poverty, and natural disasters have left communities with few resources and little sense of security. When storms or earthquakes strike, homes and livelihoods can be lost in an instant, making it hard for families to recover.
Vernet, a small community just outside Les Cayes in southern Haiti, has become home to about 3,000 people. Some are native to the area; others arrived seeking relief after disasters like Hurricane Matthew. Children here suffer from polluted water, extreme malnutrition, a lack of medical care, and difficult access to education. Widespread poverty has forced more than 400,000 Haitian children nationwide into restavek, a system where children are sent to live with others and often end up working as domestic servants. These children are frequently denied an education and face a heightened risk of abuse and exploitation.
In the face of these hardships, our mission is to stand with families and children in Vernet, offering the kind of steady, Christ-centered support that brings hope and new possibilities.
Our program partners with the local church and trusted leaders to serve children and families in Vernet. Children receive nourishing meals, educational support, medical care, vocational training, and the opportunity to grow in faith. We also provide food distributions for families, support for students pursuing higher education, assistance after disasters, and help with homebuilding.
A special focus of our work is protecting children from restavek. In partnership with Restavek Freedom, we advocate for children’s safety and dignity, helping at-risk children find freedom, restoration, and a path to reclaim their childhood.
Along with meeting urgent needs, Kids Club gives children the chance to simply be kids. Through VBS, beach trips, and activities that help them enjoy new experiences and time with friends, our goal is to help children overcome barriers, stay with their families, and have the resources and support they need to build a better future.
Declaring and demonstrating the Good News of Jesus Christ has always been – and will always be – at the heart of everything we do. Our program leaders are closely connected to the local church, and integrate discipleship into their feeding program.
Children are the seeds of the future. When we invest in them, they have the capacity to be agents of change in their communities for generations to come. Our program focuses on the individual needs of each child and reaches out from there to their families and communities.
Our program is holistic, caring for the whole child – their mind, body and spirit. We provide regular meals to children, food baskets for families, school tuition and supplies, medical care, discipleship, and a caring community.
Chavannes and Lucy, natives of Haiti, are well-known and respected Christian leaders with a heart for the next generation. We work closely with them to ensure high levels of trust and stewardship in the program.
Fénold Appolon, a Haitian citizen, leads Forward Edge’s Kids Club in Vernet, Haiti. His post high school studies centered on Economics, but the influence of his Pastor, Jean Chavannes Jeune (previous Program Director of Kids Club), led Fénold to shift his focus from business to helping others, particularly vulnerable children. He has been married to his lovely wife, Cécile Olga Alteus Appolon, since 1986. Together they have two biological children and help an additional seven children as their own with their education.
Fénold himself experienced many difficulties as a child. He was often ill and had trouble with his speech. Having lost his father while a young teenager, Fénold lived with his mother and three siblings in extreme poverty. Finding food or clothing was a daily challenge. Despite some level of free education, school was difficult to afford. Fénold often had to borrow books from classmates to study and copy by hand. Once on his own, he shared a modest room with a friend and together they cultivated small gardens and sold vegetables to survive.
Fénold recounts the most important moment of his life as July 31, 1982, the day he gave his life to Jesus Christ. Since that day, Fénold has committed himself to serving God. Today, under his leadership, Kids Club serves more than 1,100 people each year, providing education, care, and the hope of Christ.
What drew you to the mission of Forward Edge?
I was first introduced to Forward Edge through my long-time relationship with Pastor Chavannes and Lucie Jeune, then Forward Edge Program Directors of Kids Club. I was surprised and honored when they recommended me as their successor in the role of Program Director. I welcomed another opportunity to serve vulnerable children in disadvantaged communities of Haiti. I am fully committed to assisting Forward Edge in its mission.
If you could have dinner with any person in history (excluding Jesus) who would it be and why?
Socrates (the Greek philosopher), he was born into a modest family like mine and prioritized the virtue of life and a commitment to seeking truth.
What is something about you others are often surprised to learn?
People are often surprised by my simplicity, God-given wisdom, and constant sense of duty to be useful and serve others.
Jean Chavannes Jeune is a pastor, evangelist, and missionary widely known and respected in the nation of Haiti. Over the past 38 years, Pastor Chavannes has participated in the creation, administration, and functioning of many organizations and institutions in Haiti geared for social and economic development.
He has served as President of the Baptist Mission of Southern Haiti, and as President of Lumiere University in Port au Prince. He holds a Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington, and a Masters degree in Theology from Seattle Pacific University.
Pastor Chavannes has also participated in the development and promotion of many national and international religious and missionary institutions in Haiti, including the Bible Lumiere Institute, the Extension of Radio Lumiere Network via the Internet, the Worldwide Missionary Vision Organization, and the Protestantism Global Vision Organization in the Haitian Milieu.
Pastor Chavannes is married to Marie Lucie, known as Madam Lucie, a business administration specialist. They have four grown children, three sons and a daughter.
We are blessed by Pastor Chavannes’ heart for the country of Haiti, his desire and commitment to serve his community, and his passion to further God’s kingdom. We believe his extensive managerial and leadership experience will be a crucial part of our long-term success in Haiti.
Your gift enables our program to deliver life-changing resources, offer lasting hope, and equip children to discover their God-given purpose. Monthly giving provides steady support, but every act of generosity makes a difference.
$25 can provide one month of weekly meals and the gospel for eight children.
14 years old (07-06-2011)
Female
Kids Club, Haiti
14 years old (12-02-2011)
Male
Kids Club, Haiti
15 years old (04-18-2011)
Female
Kids Club, Haiti
7 years old (12-05-2018)
Female
Kids Club, Haiti
7 years old (04-28-2019)
Female
Kids Club, Haiti
6 years old (05-07-2020)
Male
Kids Club, Haiti
As a child sponsor, you’ll provide essentials like nutritious meals, safe drinking water, education, healthcare, and spiritual guidance. Beyond meeting these critical needs, you’ll also build a priceless relationship that helps a child discover their true worth and God-given potential.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
