Dear Hope for Haiti Family,
Over the past month, insecurity in Port-au-Prince has reached unprecedented levels. The news stories and graphic videos all confirm the harsh reality of life in Haiti’s capital city: gang violence, food shortages, school and hospital closures, disruptions to air travel and at Haiti’s main port, and now people fleeing the violence into the provinces by the masses. According to a survey by the World Food Program, 19% of respondents are relocating from Port-au-Prince to Les Cayes, adding strain to available resources.
For those who aren’t directly impacted by the daily trauma in Port-au-Prince, the indirect consequences of this recent period weigh heaviest on children seeking access to education, parents searching for healthcare for their families, food-insecure communities, and small businesses struggling to remain operational. Inflation levels for essential commodities like food and fuel in Les Cayes are soaring to unprecedented heights.
Despite the challenges impacting all Haitians, Hope for Haiti’s team in Les Cayes remains fully operational, and dedicated to achieving notable program highlights amidst the ongoing crisis.
Fortunately, Port-au-Prince is just one city, not the entire country. In Les Cayes, where Hope for Haiti operates, we do not face such severe insecurity, allowing our team to continue our operations.
In the past couple of weeks alone, Hope for Haiti’s team was able to accomplish the following program activities:
- In celebration of Women’s History Month, over 200 female students engaged in a workshop honoring accomplished women in Haiti and worldwide, discussing the significance and value of women in society.
- Our Agriculture team harvested nearly 100 pounds of vegetables for students to take home
- With support from our Education and Economic Development team members, 19 students underwent entrepreneurship and financial literacy training, potentially impacting their long-term financial well-being.
- We commemorated World Oral Health Day and World Water Day with awareness campaigns in partner schools.
- Our healthcare team conducted 13 mobile clinics,providing general medicine to 521 patients, breast and cervical cancer screenings to 219 women, and nutritional support to 257 children.
- At our clinic, Infirmière Saint Etienne, Hope for Haiti’s doctors and nurses provided 1,204 medical consultations, noting that over 10% of pediatric patients had relocated from Port-au-Prince.
Our entire organization remains steadfast in our long-term commitment to helping improve the quality of life for children, families, and communities in southern Haiti. However, upholding this commitment hinges on your unwavering support and advocacy. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to you for standing by us.
If you wish to review our short- and long-term plans to help support children, families, and communities during this current humanitarian crisis, please click here. Your continued engagement is invaluable to us. Thank you!
Linda Thelemaque
Chief Program Officer
Hope for Haiti