Haiti

From GOALS to the World Cup

Original Article featured on Play Academy with Naomi Osaka

Bethina Petit-Frere remembers sneaking out of her house to play soccer with her brother and his friends. At the time, it was uncommon for girls in Haiti to play soccer. So she had to make sure her grandmother did not find out.

“She thought it was a game just for the boys, but most importantly she did not want me to get hurt,” Petit-Frere recalled. “We would play around the corner from my house, and if we heard my grandmother coming, I would hide so she didn’t see me playing.”

Now 19 years old, there’s no hiding for Petite-Frere. In July, her home country will be tuned in when she plays alongside the rest of the Haitian women’s national soccer team in their first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The team lit up with emotion after defeating Chile in February’s FIFA inter-confederation Playoff to qualify. For Petit-Frere, she reflected on her journey to that moment, from hiding from her grandmother to joining a local soccer program called GOALS Haiti, where for the first time, she got to play with other girls.

MORE THAN SOCCER

GOALS Haiti is not a soccer club. Rather, soccer is the means to their bigger goal of developing youth to become leaders in their communities. They run youth soccer, education and community service programs in three rural villages around Leogane, where Petit-Frere grew up.

“My dad left my mom when she was pregnant,” she reflected. “When I was 1, my mom moved to another island in search of work. So I was raised by my grandmother. She sent me to school, and she did everything for me.”

Her older brother was part of GOALS and told her they had a girls’ team, which was a surprise for Petit-Frere. Nine-years-old at the time, she went with her brother and was warmly welcomed by the GOALS staff. She no longer had to play in secret with boys, and her grandmother felt comfortable knowing she was with trusted coaches from the local community.

“I borrowed shorts and a shirt from my brother, and when I went to the field, GOALS gave me a pair of cleats so I could participate,” Petit-Frere said. “I saw that there was a good atmosphere.”

“We were a group, and the GOALS team became my family. It showed me what being a part of a collective and family meant. To this day, I still stay in contact with my GOALS Haiti team.”

Petit-Frere’s talent was discovered by the Haitian Football Federation after one year with GOALS, and she moved to their training base called the “Ranch” to join the youth league. Though exciting, the sudden change was a lot for her.

“The first month at the Ranch, I was really sad because I missed my grandmother and it was hard to adjust,” she said. “I told myself I chose football and that it is my dream. Even if I miss my family, I had to continue. I always told myself that if I worked hard, my dreams to become a professional player would come true.”

STILL PART OF THE FAMILY

GOALS takes pride that many girls from their program like Petit-Frere get discovered by the Haitian Football Federation. But they also understand their challenges transitioning to The Ranch.

“I would visit the Ranch to check in on the girls, see how they’re doing and if they needed anything,” GOALS Executive Director Kathy McAllister said. “Once a kid leaves our program and goes to the Federation, we don’t want them to feel abandoned or that we’re no longer a resource for them.

“It’s important that they have an advocate and know that once they leave the GOALS program, whether that’s when they join the Federation or age out at 18, that they still feel they can come to us. We want them to know that they have a network through GOALS, they have their former coach, our office staff, myself that can be a resource.”

That was widely felt by Petit-Frere. Though only a year’s time with GOALS, she benefited from the education and community service programs that aims to equip participants with life skills for life-changing moments like hers.

“During my time with GOALS, I learned more than soccer because I went to their study sessions on English and life skills,” she said. “Even when I was at the Ranch, GOALS coaches would visit me and bring me materials to continue learning.”

Haiti’s historic World Cup appearance this summer is a bright spot amid the ongoing crises the country has been facing. The country is still dealing with the long-term after-effects of the 2010 earthquake, the president’s assassination in 2021 and increased gang warfare which has taken over the capitol.

“For the younger girls in our program, seeing girls like Bethina, other girls in the league or GOALS alumni – all of them are role models,” McAllister said. “The younger participants can say, ‘If she can do it, I can do it to, too.’ It really gives them hope.”

Petit-Frere hopes participating in the World Cup gives her more exposure to professional clubs. She also doesn’t take it for granted and what it means for others back home watching.

“There are a lot of players who have a lot of talent that do not get this chance, and I am getting that chance. It is a huge opportunity,” she said. “For other young girls watching me play, the message I would tell them is to focus on what you want and believe in your dreams. Do not listen to people who want to discourage you. Always believe in yourself and work hard for what you want.”

Planting for the Next Generation

Since GOALS inception in 2020 protecting the environment and raising awareness on how communities can be involved in being stewards of the environment has been an integral part of our work. It was built into the daily soccer programming that each of our 12 teams takes turns in weekly activities around community gardening, tree planting and recycling.

The activities teach about team work, community service and the importance of living in harmony with our natural world. Kids learn about soil and seed cultivation, planting and caring for crops, tree seedling care and issues around climate action.

Haiti’s rural communities create less waste and carbon footprint however are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and natural disasters. Educating youth and engaging their families on how to mitigate the effects of climate action and prepare for future natural disasters empowers them to take steps to protect their families and livelihoods.

This Earth Day our tams celebrated by planting trees and doing beach clean-up. GOALS kids have planted 6K trees providing much needed shade, soil protection and food source.

“The biggest lesson I've learned in GOALS is how to protect the environment, plant trees, and farm land. Planting trees and working in the community garden brings joy to my life. I enjoy the time with the rest of the kids and working together teaches us how to live in harmony.” – Peter, program participant

 Happy Earth Day! Earth Day Every Day!

In our Hearts

Although the situation in Haiti has been deteriorating for years, the level of current crises the country is facing is unprecedented. It is a complicated  web of perfect storms that is both difficult to grasp yet glaringly clear. Haiti fought for its independence and has been ostracized and penalized ever since.

The images I receive every day from our programs in the field where kids are playing, learning, laughing, and having fun with their friends are in stark contrast to the images from the explosive gang warfare that is happening in the capital and other parts of the country.

There is not one Haitian or person affiliated with Haiti who has not been touched by these crises. In the past week alone a relative of a staff member was kidnapped, a colleague was witness to a mass shooting, a friends husband who was a school superintendent took his own life, and my sister-in-law was forced to evacuate her home due to gangs taking over their whole neighborhood.

There is grief, fear, sadness and outrage over the complete lack of accountability to the systems that created this vacuum of leadership and impunity for criminal activity. There is a bracing for even harder times ahead as there is no easy way out and no end in sight.

Throughout the 20 years that I have been working and/or living in Haiti I chose to focus on the positive because I am fortunate to witness the real grassroots community efforts by so many wanting to make a difference.

I hear the fatigue in the voices of Haitians who were always optimistic and that is also heart breaking. The cries of when will there be real change, how can families live in these conditions?

What I hold on to is the hope of a brighter day, the commitment to do our part and the knowledge that we are a part of an outlet for hundreds of kids who otherwise would not have that outlet.

Haitians deserve better. One of our international partners recently told me “our hearts are there” and we will continue to hold Haiti in our hearts. And we ask, what will it take to end this cycle of suffering?

2022 Annual Report

What a year we had! And we ended the year on a high note, celebrating with the kids and communities where we have our programs. There was a feeling of extreme pride, knowing we had succeeded in providing our daily programming in the face of extreme challenges and ongoing crises in Haiti.

While schools were closed, GOALS provided the only safe outlet for hundreds of kids to learn, play and be kids. In Haiti the importance of this cannot be stated enough.

We routinely hear from the kids and their parents that having a place to earn an education as well as develop invaluable skills leads to healthier children. We aim to improve their physical and mental wellbeing while fostering their leadership and social skills. This adds to a more engaged community who have a greater chance at reaching their potential.

Our staff morale is high as we are all inspired and committed to making a difference. We each know what our programs mean to the kids, and we are happy to share what we have accomplished in this year's report.

There is a Haitian proverb Espwa Fe Viv which means Hope Gives Life. This is what we hold on to as we strive for better days in Haiti. Thank you for being a part of our efforts as we advance youth leadership through soccer and education to create stronger, healthier communities in rural Haiti.

Kathy McAllister, Executive Director

Haiti Means so Much

Haiti means so much to me. Since that first trip my husband Peter and I took there almost thirty years ago to work in a rural area, the place just got to me and called me back year after year. 

Unfortunately, the visits and my work there has stopped. A year prior to the pandemic, security concerns prevented me from traveling there. Even though COVID shut everything down, Haiti continued to go downhill with gangs controlling the country, an unstable government and out of control corruption. There is currently some good news coming out of Haiti.

For the past 5 years I’ve been the Board President of GOALS and recently I stepped  down to pass the baton to another board member. 

But please indulge me while I tell you more about GOALS and why I have been involved all these years.

12 years ago, Kona Shen, a dynamic and fearless newly minted graduate of Brown University, founded GOALS. After a short stint there she quickly discovered how passionate all the kids were about soccer in spite of a lack of basic needs to play the game: playing fields, equipment, soccer balls and any footwear. As an International Development major, Kona decided that a sports development program was what she wanted to start in rural Haiti.

Upon graduation Kona returned to Haiti to launch GOALS Haiti. Using soccer as the hook or carrot to engage kids in community service, literacy, civics, health education and leadership development, over 400 kids in 3 neighborhoods joined the program. 

Fifteen years ago, I started studying Haitian Kreyol at Brown University.  I had been working short stints in Haiti since 1995, mainly at the Hospital Albert Schweitzer. Although I speak French fluently, on that first work trip I quickly realized that speaking Kreyol was imperative. 

Our Kreyol classes at Brown were lively, stimulating and tons of fun. We had an awesome professor named Patrik who taught us about Haitian culture, history, and politics as well as the language that all Haitians speak. The students in my class were quite wonderful as well: super bright, engaged in their learning, and intellectually curious. That class was the setting where I met Kona Shen.

Kona and I stayed in touch that first year of GOALS. I even managed to visit her on one of my trips to Haiti and was excited to see what she was doing. At some point Kona emailed me asking for assistance. She was concerned that some of the teenage girls in the program had gotten pregnant. She was particularly concerned that the kids in the program were in dire need of sexuality education, that many of the kids believed a variety of myths about how one gets pregnant or avoids it. We decided that the best approach was to offer on-site trainings on human sexuality to her staff, her coaches and the older kids enrolled in GOALS.

And so began my love affair with GOALS—in the early days— at those first visits to offer training programs. I was hooked with everything I saw there and vowed to return. 

I joined the GOALS Board several years later and spent five years as Board Chair where I was affectionately called Madanm Pwezidan. I’ve recently stepped aside to hand over the reins to Board member Shanna Snider who will do a phenomenal job leading and keeping us in line!

I continue to feel enormous pride in all the GOALS does and accomplishes given the enormous obstacles and daily challenges. It’s truly remarkable. 

Plus I am so thankful to put my heart and energy into a truly phenomenal organization. I’m fervently wishing for calm in Haiti and a return to some semblance of stability. On a very personal level, I long to return to the place that has given me so much. I’m continually in awe of the Haitians I know and love; they are full of resilience and hope, I miss them as well as the verdant and stunning countryside. - Toby Simon

Dream Team Scholarships

As part of our commitment to increasing access to education for kids in rural Haiti we have provided over 300 school scholarships through our Dream Team program. This program provides annual scholarships that cover tuition, uniforms and books ensuring that more kids have access to an education.

Recently 2 of our coaches came to us about a girl on our U18 team that they had been helping to pay for her school. Our coaches often take it upon themselves to help kids in their community.

Due to the crises and extreme inflation facing Haiti the coaches were unable to continue subsidizing her education.

Francesca has been in the GOALS program since 2016 and Graduated our Youth Leadership program in 2021. Her natural leadership ability and commitment led to her being chosen as an assistant coach for one of our fields last year. She was a great addition to our scholarship program and recently sat down with our Program Director to share her thoughts.

“It's a great stress-relieving feeling that I am now a part of the Dream Team program. The difficulties I had before being awarded the scholarship was my parents were struggling to pay for my schooling due to all the crises that have been recently happening in Haiti.

This scholarship will give my parents the opportunity to not have to worry and be stressed out about my schooling. They will have more time to focus and get their things in order.

Education is very important to me. It's the key to a better life. If you are not educated it will be more difficult to succeed in life. GOALS can expect from me that I will be a great student. Expect me to be an overall good person, and a positive role model for the people in my community.

Education is good and needed for young girls where I live. Girls in my community are always faced with so many different types of problems. Being an educated young girl will give us the knowledge to make the right decisions in life so we don't have to suffer more.”

Francesca is one of 26 Dream Team scholarship recipients for the 2023 school year.

GOALS wins Environmental Award

Good news! We won the Energy Globe Award for our work with youth on community gardening, tree planting and recycling. These are all part of our Clean Field initiative empowering youth to be a part of the solution in Haiti.

With more than 180 participating countries, the ENERGY GLOBE Award is today’s most prestigious environmental award. It is awarded annually to projects saving our environment by personal action, sustainable projects or campaigns for raising awareness in sustainability.

To learn more check out their website.

Since GOALS inception the environment has been one our focus. It is exciting to be recognized for that work. We will continue to remain committed to working with youth to be leaders of change for protection of the environment and solutions on climate action.

Reach for the Stars

We are so thankful that despite the incredible challenges facing Haiti, we have been able to provide daily programs for the kids in Destra, Bossan and Carrefour Croix. There are many reasons kids look forward to going to our fields and classrooms including seeing their friends, learning something new, being a part of something, reducing stress and getting a daily meal.

 
Program participants share what the programs mean to them, and it is life changing for them.

 

“When I first joined GOALS, it was my first time ever playing sports and soccer. I was very shy. The biggest lesson I learned in GOALS is how to respect others. I would like to tell everyone in GOALS and their supporters thank you for everything. You all helped me to grow up to believe in myself and reach for the stars.”- Jenny

 

“To score the highest grade in my class. It's a great feeling and I hope I can do it many times again. School is important to me because tomorrow I want to be a great leader.” - Fritz


We are committed to providing a safe space for kids to learn, play and grow. We need your help to ensure our programs keep running daily to provide that healthy outlet. Our programs improve their daily existence plus work on long term sustainable change including leadership, gender equality and conflict resolution.

 
By making a gift you are providing kids with an opportunity to reach their potential. We currently need to raise 10K by the end of the year. Through a generous donor each gift dollar to dollar between now and December 30th will be matched making your gift go even farther. Gifts may be made online plus other ways to donate.

From all of us at Team GOALS thank you for being a part of our success. We appreciate your continued support!

 Kathy McAllister
Executive Director GOALS Haiti