Local Social Workers Support Communities Across Haiti

Author: Sitara Parks is an intern in the Office of HIV/AIDS working with the Orphans and Vulnerable Children Branch

While there have been many cases throughout Johnny Myke Alabre’s career which help illustrate the invaluable contributions social workers make towards their communities, he remembers one specific case with pride. At the time, he had worked as a social worker for two and a half years for the Impact Youth Project (IY), implemented by the Caris Foundation with support from PEPFAR through USAID. Johnny’s role of providing psychosocial support to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and their family members through home visits and counseling sessions eventually led to him cross paths with Emmanuel*, a teenager living with HIV. Seventeen-year-old Emmanuel was experiencing problems with discrimination and stigma at home, and as such, he found that his dreams of becoming a musician seemed further and further away.

Johnny first met Emmanuel at an HIV disclosure club, a club sponsored by IY where OVC are assisted with status disclosure in a supportive and confidential environment. Although Emmanuel already knew his status, he participated in the sessions because he wanted to learn and understand more about HIV. Most importantly, he wanted to hear the experiences of others and be a part of a group where he felt he belonged. While Emmanuel generally had a cheerful disposition and did not usually confide in Johnny about his personal problems, through the sessions he began trusting Johnny. Despite being initially worried about his future due to his status, with Johnny’s help, he felt reassured and took his medication (called antiretrovirals, or ARVs) regularly. Eventually, Emmanuel would text Johnny asking for advice or just for information about the club sessions.

One evening in May 2022, Emmanuel texted Johnny to say he was struggling with suicidal thoughts. Johnny immediately called Emmanuel and they talked about the issues that had been worrying him: he felt stigmatized and guilty since his mother had been reproaching him for his HIV status, as well as concern because he had stopped taking his ARVs so his other family members wouldn’t know his status. Johnny’s training as a social worker kicked in – he evaluated the situation, calculated risk, identified the main factors contributing to Johnny’s feelings of distress, and listened to and counseled him over the phone. Eventually the situation seemed stabilized enough that Johnny felt Emmanuel was safe. 

After that phone call, Johnny also spoke with Emmanuel’s mother and explained the situation, taking care to be constructive and not critical; though she was unaware of the impact her words had on her son, she agreed to talk to him. Getting her consent, Johnny then planned regular counseling sessions with both Emmanuel and his mother. The sessions aimed to rebuild a relationship of trust between them, and they were able to learn to communicate calmly and kindly, without judgment or anger. In turn, Emmanuel’s confidence and self-esteem began to improve and he started to take his medication again. Emmanuel’s mother was able to learn how to better help her son, supporting him in his antiretroviral treatments.

The day after Johnny talked with Emmanuel’s mother, he received a text from Emmanuel, thanking him for his support. His mother had apologized for her behavior towards him. He also shared that if it had not been for Johnny’s support during their own phone call, Emmanuel would have attempted suicide that night. 

By helping Emmanuel and his mother, Johnny exemplified how social workers play an integral role in supporting families through their treatment experiences. His support aims to comfort his clients, help them to change the way they perceive their status, and to have a positive image of themselves while believing in their own potential. In teaching them how to manage their concerns about HIV, Johnny helps each client have the best chance to live a long and healthy life.

*not his real name