Valencia Narcisse |
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Cite Soleil is the most dangerous neighborhood in all of Haiti. In 2007 it was labeled by the United Nations as “The Most Dangerous Place on Earth”. It was on the streets of Cite Soleil, one heart-wrenching evening, that then 7-year-old Valencia Narcisse found her father: face down in the dirt, murdered. A few years later her mother died from an unknown illness, relegating Valencia to live with her aunt, a woman that could barely care for her own children. Rendered homeless by the earthquake on January 12th, 2010, Valencia and her family made a home out of a tent in the heart of Cite Soleil. Her life was consumed by irregular attendance to s chool, constant hunger due to a lack of food, and no access to clean water. Now, at 13, Valencia suffers from stunted growth, a consequence of her lifetime of malnutrition.
Valencia was the second child enrolled into the H.E.R.O. Transition Home for Orphans. Despite her age, she is at a second grade academic level. As a result, she is provided daily morning and afternoon instruction at the residence to prepare her to enter fifth grade at the beginning of the new school year. Valencia is a typical teenager, sassy at times, but most often filled with joy and an eagerness to help. While she definitely enjoys painting her nails, she can also routinely be found playing basketball or soccer with the boys. Valencia’s dream is to become a doctor. Through dedication and perseverance, we know she can make that happen.
