About Us

About Us

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Our Mission

To spread the power of optimism to help kids overcome adversity and live a good a life.

Our Vision

A world where all children can grow up feeling safe, loved and joyful.

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Our Story

The Playmaker movement started in the United States in 1989, under the name Project Joy, to heal and strengthen children – especially those whose lives have been deeply affected by trauma. Over time, the movement became Life Is Good Playmakers after it was embraced by the Life Is Good Kids Foundation (LIGKF) link to the Kids Foundation page, a Boston-based non-profit organization. Following the January, 2010 earthquake, members of our team began working with LIGKF. Supported with appropriate trainings and supplied with play equipment, our team members began running playgroups for children living in tent cities in and around Port-auPrince. We called ourselves the GÈRYE JWA since we are committed to protecting the playful optimism of Haiti’s children. 10 With the financial support of the Life Is Good Kids Foundation, several members of our team received additional advanced training both in Haiti and the United States in 2010 and 2011. In late 2011, we opened our official office under the name of GÈRYE JWA/Life Is Good Playmakers Ayiti and continue to share the same mission with LIGKF. To date, our team has trained over 8,000 Playmakers who are bringing a joyful, healing approach to more than 225,000 children.

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Our Chief Playmaker

Steve Gross is a clinical social worker and the Founder of The Playmaker Project. For over 30 years, he has pioneered innovative, play-based, trauma interventions for communities around the world. Steveʼs work is rooted in his belief that play is the universal language of children and that adults must speak it fluently in order to help them heal, grow, and thrive. His unique approach has been instrumental for communities around the world facing large-scale trauma events. Steveʼs work has been celebrated by international trauma experts and was featured as an example of how play can be used in therapy in the longtime #1 New York Times Bestseller, The Body Keeps the Score.

1300+

Teachers and Parents Trained

245000

Children Positively Impacted

525

Schools and churches Assisted

15

Year of Intervention

Our Team

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Pierre Jonas Romain

Partnership Manager

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Pierre Jonas Romain

Partnership Manager

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Jean Guerson Sanon

Executive Director

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Lourdy Orélien

Director of Finance and Administration

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Jenny Smith

Head Engineer (US)

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Jenny Smith

Head Engineer (US)

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Roudy Saint Hubert

Program Director

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George Doe

Head Engineer (CN)

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George Doe

Head Engineer (CN)

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Maria Jay

Head Engineer (AU)

Our Partners

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