"Haiti is currently experiencing the worst socio-economic crisis in its recent history. Food and energy prices have more than doubled, and the global impact of the war in Ukraine is making them even more expensive. Currently, around 45 per cent of the Haitian population is already threatened by food shortages. Violent gangs control public life and tyrannise the entire population. The people of Haiti have never lived in such insecurity. The current wave of violence and food insecurity is unbearable even for Haitians used to disaster.

The head of Kindernothilfe in Haiti, Pierre Hugue Augustin, visits the "protective school" Haitian parents are fully occupied with the daily struggle for survival to earn enough money to put food on the table every day amidst all the chaos and violence. This immense stress makes them aggressive and they increasingly turn to violence against their daughters and sons. Having to live in constant fear and terror does not leave the children unscathed. Our project managers tell me that the girls and boys are very jumpy, quick to start fights and often complain of abdominal pain and headaches - classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder caused by unprocessed terror.

Being able to go to school well protected is a real exception for the children in Haiti. The journey to school is life-threatening under the current conditions. People are shot or kidnapped every day, especially in the capital. The government has therefore postponed the start of the 2022/2023 school year for security reasons. Only some schools in rural areas have already opened, such as our project, the "protective school" in Cabaret.

In any case, school is a luxury, as there are only a few state schools. Most are privately run and have to be paid for. Many people cannot afford this, which means that half of the Haitian population over the age of 15 is illiterate.

Kindernothilfe's partner schools support the children as best they can with learning materials. They have already trialled this during the pandemic. During this time, it is important to maintain routines and traditions wherever possible, such as the Christmas party at Collège Verena. In this way, we create stability for children and young people through our work and can give them a perspective.

For the coming year, we are full of hope that school will soon be able to resume as normal and that we can work with the children and young people to process the impressions of the last few months. The planned United Nations mission to intervene in Haiti can help to restore stability and calm even in heavily contested areas such as the neighbourhood where Collège Verena is located. For us, one thing is clear: as Kindernothilfe, we will remain present and do everything we can to support the children and their families."