Not About Me is a feature documentary about good intentions and unintended consequences.
When Morgan Wienberg, a well-meaning Canadian teenager, volunteers at a Haitian orphanage in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, her plans take a turn. She is part of an army of NGOs and volunteers with billions in promised aid, all rushing to respond to the disaster. But once on the ground, she begins to see their earnest actions have their own devastating impacts. Determined to make a more lasting difference, Morgan stays in Haiti to establish an alternative, community-based nonprofit for vulnerable children and their families. Over the next decade, we see Morgan challenge her own perceptions and privilege to become a more meaningful ally to Haitians working to build a better future. This is Morgan’s story. But it’s also about us, rethinking how we help and give.
Original graffiti artwork by Jerry Moïse Rosembert. Photo by Edward Addeo for HAND/EYE. © 2020 Giv’er Media Inc.
8 million
children living in orphanages worldwide
80%
have at least one living parent who could care for them at home
*SOURCE: wearelumos.org
30,000
children living in Haitian orphanages
750+
Haitian orphanages were audited in 2018
95%
failed to meet minimum standards of care
*SOURCE: wearelumos.org
35
number of volunteers who COULD visit a for-profit orphanage each month
2,100
number of foreigners a child Would be exposed to after living in that orphanage for five years
*SOURCE: haitimama.org
“I am happy. I do it with my whole heart.”
— MIKERLANGE BLAISE
Housemother, Girls’ Safehouse, Little Footprints Big Steps, Haiti
They are Haitians who believe in liberty and self-determination. Despite daily challenges, the staff at a non-profit dedicated to child protection and sustainable family development support each other and families within their community. They nurture children, empower parents, contribute to their local economy and dream of Haiti’s future. They are owning their own stories.
