Haiti continues to sink into chaos. The political vacuum is being filled by armed gangs who are fighting against each other and against the state - but above all against the people of this bitterly poor country. Displacement, violence, hunger and closed educational institutions naturally hit the weakest groups the hardest: Children and young people. One asked the head of Kindernothilfe Haiti, Pierre-Hugue Augustin, how the children's aid projects supported by REWE Group and its employees are doing.
one: Hugue, how do you assess the current security situation in Port-au-Prince?
Pierre-Hugue Augustin: Since the beginning of March, the country has been plunged into chaos: from the escape of thousands of prison inmates to attacks, fires, looting and the seizure of numerous police stations, which are currently controlled by the armed gangs that have had a stranglehold on Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince for many months.
A coalition of heavily armed gangs has taken control of large parts of the capital. They broke into police stations, murdered police officers at their workplaces, set fires and took control of several police stations in different parts of the city. In addition to the police stations, they also attacked some banks and commercial enterprises.
Pierre-Hugue Augustin
one: How does this affect the population?
Pierre-Hugue Augustin : According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, more than 1,100 people were killed, injured or abducted in January 2024 alone, including 300 gang members who were killed or injured. The situation has serious consequences for everyone: the lack of drinking water is worsening as most neighbourhoods are no longer passable for delivery vehicles. Pharmacies and hospitals have hardly any medicines, hygiene products or bandages left. There are no more deliveries due to the closure of harbours and airports. Traders can no longer sell their goods. Telephone networks are disrupted in large parts of the country. Many people are starving.
In addition, the attacks have led to massive displacement from the greater Port-au-Prince region; at the beginning of March, the country counted a total of 362,000 internally displaced persons, more than half of whom are children. The vast majority of these displaced people are seeking refuge in schools. Almost all schools have been closed since the beginning of March.
Since last week, there has been an increase in attacks by armed gangs on schools and educational institutions. However, our project schools have not yet been affected. The supply of food and medicine is becoming increasingly difficult. Most of the hospitals in Port-au-Prince are closed and only three are still able to operate with severe restrictions. The airport in Port-au-Prince is closed and is being shot at by gangs.
one: Closed schools mean that the children are not being taught...
Pierre-Hugue Augustin: Exactly. The children have no access to education. But that is not the only effect of the catastrophic situation in the country. Many children are traumatised and psychologically destabilised by the violence they are exposed to on a daily basis, including sexual violence. In addition, families are torn apart and, last but not least, the growing children are malnourished and undernourished. They are almost always hungry.
one: How does this affect the projects of Kindernothilfe and its local partner organisations?
Pierre-Hugue Augustin: All projects and local partners are struggling with massive problems: schools are closed, hybrid lessons often don't work because the communication networks are repeatedly disrupted by sabotage; children who have been driven out of their neighbourhoods have had to stop attending school. The supply of food, clean water, hygiene and medical products is difficult and prices are rising massively.
„The Collège Verena remains closed because the situation in the neighbourhood is extremely dangerous.“Hugue Augustin Despite these enormous challenges, our local partners are doing everything they can to continue the project work for vulnerable groups of children and women. They are showing exceptional resilience in the face of difficult conditions.
We are monitoring developments very closely and are in constant dialogue with all projects to determine whether and how we can support the children and their families, for example with psychological services or food.
one: And what is the specific situation in the children's aid projects that we and our employees have supported and continue to support?
Pierre-Hugue Augustin: Collège Ver ena remains closed and no classes can take place because the situation in the neighbourhood is extremely dangerous. My colleagues and I were very pleased to hear the positive news that the REWE Group is making it possible for the children of Collège Verena to replace the school materials that were destroyed. However, due to the current escalation of violence, all retailers and shops have also closed, meaning that it is currently not possible to procure and distribute materials. You will hear from us as soon as there is any news.
The Schützende Schule can breathe a sigh of relief. School operations resumed in the week before Easter
All activities for the scholarship project had to be largely suspended as the vocational training centres and universities in the capital are closed. Around 20 scholarship holders from various disciplines can at least take part in distance learning courses organised by the Haiti Tec training institute.
In addition to the young people who had already been displaced by the gang violence the week before, ten more scholarship holders had to leave their homes this week to seek refuge with relatives. We were particularly saddened by the death of one scholarship holder. He was caught in gunfire on his way home and died shortly afterwards in hospital.
one: How terrible. In view of these dangers: How are your Kindernothilfe colleagues doing and what is their everyday (working) life like at the moment?
Pierre-Hugue Augustin: The violence and insecurity are of course having an impact on all employees, and the psychological strain is enormous. Nevertheless, we are doing everything we can to continue our work while remaining on constant alert. So far, we have not had any major security problems at our Kindernothilfe office, which is located in a neighbourhood that has so far been spared from armed gangs. Nevertheless, we check the security situation on a daily basis and adapt our activities accordingly. The current escalation of violence has led to two employees being driven out of their homes as their neighbourhoods have been attacked by armed groups. Their homes were looted and burnt down. Two colleagues have left the country permanently to ensure the safety of their families.
These departures are painful and underline the enormous challenges we face as an organisation in such an unstable and dangerous environment. However, we are determined to continue our work and ensure the safety of our remaining team and their families as best we can.
Would you like to donate?
The Kindernothilfe Haiti scholarship programme is part of REWE Group's Help for Haiti and thus part of the four employee donation projects. Anyone wishing to support one of the projects with a monthly salary donation of 1, 5 or 10 euros can do so using the donation form.
You can find more answers to important questions about the four employee donation projects here.
