Following the scandal of sexual assaults perpetrated in a systematic way on female players, including minors, experienced by the Haitian Football Federation (FHF) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32508-haiti-flash-fifa-puts-the-haitian-football-federation-under-supervision.html, FIFA has set up a psychosocial and prevention support project for young people residing at the FIFA Goal Center in Croix-des-Bouquets.

This project led by the NGO Terre des Hommes, an Italian institution that works in 29 countries around the world, aims to support the young people of the Center both psychologically and pedagogically.

Relying on the protection of minors, FIFA was quick to come to the aid of these young people who must continue to fight to achieve their goal. Thus, in October 2020, even before the installation of the standardization committee at the head of the FHF, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32839-haiti-flash-under-supervision-the-haitian-football-federation-will-be-led-by-michaelle-jean.html and https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-32947-icihaiti-fifa-establishment-of-an-advisory-panel-to-be-set-up-to-support-normalisation-committee.html, a group of psychologists and social workers from Terre des hommes were already starting to work with young girls and boys at the Camp Nou Academy."

Although based at the Ranch de la Croix-des-Bouquets, the Italian NGO is in no way the responsibility of the FHF, and works independently under the constant watch of the FIFA Department for the Protection of Minors. Nevertheless, it owes the FHF activity reports as well as its work schedule.

To date, Terre des Hommes is about to finalize the first phase of the project intended, among other things: to collect data, diagnose at the organizational level, and identify needs while helping young people psychologically. At the end of this stage, the social workers will develop an implementation plan based on 4 main axes :

• Psychosocial care;

• Social, cultural and recreational activities;

• Protection and safeguard of the child;

• Capacity building.

It should be noted that the project includes two psychologists and two social workers, present every day at the FIFA goal center with the young people in order to guarantee their psychological safety but above all to help them to better orient themselves.

Note that the contract of the NGO Terre des hommes will end next July and the continuation of the support will be provided by the FHF and FIFA, which will ensure the well-being of the children of the Academy.

See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-32947-icihaiti-fifa-establishment-of-an-advisory-panel-to-be-set-up-to-support-normalisation-committee.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32839-haiti-flash-under-supervision-the-haitian-football-federation-will-be-led-by-michaelle-jean.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32508-haiti-flash-fifa-puts-the-haitian-football-federation-under-supervision.html

HL/ HaitiLibre