About CHOAIDS
Learn More about Caring for Haitian Orphans with AIDS
Our Journey to Helping Haitian Orphans
In 2003, Marie Denis-Luque, MSPH, MPH, a Haitian American, established Caring for Haitian Orphans with AIDS (CHOAIDS) after encountering Valcuse, a young orphan grappling with AIDS complications and lacking access to medical assistance. CHOAIDS emerged as a refuge for one of the most vulnerable populations in the Western Hemisphere, providing a stigma-free environment for safety and care.
Here We Are Today
Today, Marie Denis-Luque still leads the organization. CHOAIDS is now comprised of 7 board members, a Marketing & Communications Director (state-side) and about one dozen staff members at our home in Haiti. With each passing year, CHOAIDS finds more ways to provide for our children. We continually seek the opportunities to grow and source new resources to provide the essentials needed in Haiti. With the help of our generous donors, we are able to give the children in our care what they need to thrive.
Our Charity's Ultimate Goals
Self-Sufficiency
To assist each child in becoming a self-sufficient and productive citizen.
Self-Care
To teach each child self-care and disease management to be able to live a healthy life physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Employability
To provide each young adult with opportunities for job training and job placement.
Our Goals for the Year
This year, it is our goal to transition 10 (tranzisyon dis) children out of the CHOAIDS home and onto the next stage of their lives.
As always, we continually strive to provide these essentials for each child in our care:
- A compassionate and safe home environment
- 3 meals and 2 snacks per day
- Vitamins and meal supplements
- Access to anti-retroviral therapy
- Education through secondary school
- Clothing
- Transportation
- Psychological and spiritual support
- A sense of belonging
- Creative learning experiences through sports, theater, and the arts.
