Our History
It began with the Action Research for the creation of the AKOR program…
Then a team of highly competent professionals gathered to develop new materials and intervene in Haiti and its diaspora.
2005 to 2018: Development
AKOR parent groups are held in schools of Little Haiti, North Miami, and the Parent Academy of Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
The program received the Phoebe Apperson Award from the Parent Teacher Association in 2006.
AKOR is utilized in two research studies:
“A Case Study of Haitian Students Identity Awareness” by Dr. Charlene Desir at NOVA Southeastern University.
“The Haitian Parent Initiative” by Dr. Lynn Katz at the University of Miami.
2023-2024: Production of the AKOR video series
A script is developed for the AKOR video series and systematically reviewed by members of the AKOR Team.
Miami-Dade-College generously offers to film the narrative in their studios. Actors are recruited and live scenes are produced. The footage is edited and songs are added to the final product.
The video series is posted on YouTube and broadcasted on BPX TV Réseau.
2023 to date: Parenting workshops in Miami-Dade
AKOR parent workshops are successfully delivered in Miami-Dade schools and community centers. Among them:
Saint Marie Cathedral School in Little Haiti
Biscayne Gardens K-8 Academy in North Miami Beach
Michael Krop Adult Education Center in collaboration with the Association of Haitian Educators of Dade.
2024 to date: Parenting workshops in Cayes, Haiti
Women Sunshine of Hope Organization (OFASOL) delivers the AKOR method to parents and adolescents of the Cayes-Simon community. Participants in a whole-day seminar describe their experience and the learning they acquired in a focus group that follows.
Their leader Bertinie Lyncé faces numerous challenges. She vows to continue her work in supporting these families and spreading the AKOR method in surrounding communities.
2025: In-person Train-the-Trainer in Montreal, Canada
Practitioners at the BCHM (Office of the Haitian Community in Montreal) received a 14-hour training of trainers. They explore the AKOR method, engage in animated discussions, and practice their role as workshop facilitators.
They begin the delivery of a series of workshops, which families faithfully attended in spite of an ongoing strike of public transportation. The experience leads to the development of and online train-the-trainer module.
2026: Online Train-the-Trainer
14 participants from Haiti, Canada, and across the United States, meet on Teams during 3 consecutive sessions that last 3 hours each. Before the sessions, they review the AKOR parenting video series, the Train-the-Trainer videos, and the Facilitators guide. They team up to prepare the presentations that they are required to make in order to practice their role as a Parent workshop facilitator.
The experience is highly interactive in spite of the distance.
2026: Sexual education in Cayes-Simon, Haiti
A module is developed to address the issue of sexual violence, which has been identified by community leaders and residents.
The 4-session workshop, based on the model of UNESCO, engages parents and children to communicate on the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes of adolescents, and teaches them to protect themselves.
Sessions are monitored using videotapes to evaluate the experience and refine the approach.
