As you probably are aware if you’ve been following our posts via Instagram and Facebook, we have found ourselves in a particularly challenging and discouraging time in Haiti. The past year there has been continued political unrest that has reached a boiling point over the past few months. Many things are at play and contribute to where Haiti is now, but some of the key factors are a lack of governmental leadership, an on-going fuel shortage due to mismanaged subsidy funds, a sharp rise in inflation, and a lack of proper accountability for elected officials.
The opposing political parties want the current President to leave, and the population is demanding a change to the status quo in Haiti. This has manifested itself through on-going protests that have immobilized day-to-day activities in the country. While it is difficult to accurately convey the multi-faceted layers of issues coming to a head, and what “peyi-lock” (country lock down) actually feels like, we felt it’s time to stumble through these mixed emotions and anxiety ridden thoughts to communicate with you all what is happening within our own HDC community.
A population that is already living in very vulnerable conditions, are now facing higher costs for food, staple items, and transportation (when it is available). They are losing their ability to work, and for their children to be able to go to school, not to mention the fear for their own safety in the volatile conditions of the protests and their unpredictability. It has been like this for almost a month, and has happened multiple times this year, to varying degrees.
Now- every day doesn’t feel like civil war. Some days are calmer than others, and most days it depends on the areas you’re in. For people with resources available- you can stock up on food, water, fuel, and check the reports daily to see what areas are clear and what areas are safe, but for the majority of people, the privilege to be prepared is not an option. Most people depend on their daily income to feed their families that day. They’ve worked tirelessly to pay school fees in hopes of their children receiving an education, and now their kids haven’t been able to attend classes for over a month for their own safety. Schools that have attempted to open and function as normal have been threatened and targeted by opposition protesters. For those that do have steady work- the burden they carry of providing for those around them has gotten much heavier, and their fear of traveling to work safely many days is very real. We had a beloved staff member, 3 months pregnant, that was hit by a rock thrown by a protestor on her way home from work last week. We have many staff members who have walked over 2 hours, around burning tire barricades to make it to and from work. We have mothers with sick children who cannot get them to the hospital due to blocked roads. We’ve had artisans go without eating because of their inability to buy food, due to a lack of available cash, because the banks have been shut down for over a week.
We are hungry for change, but we are desperate for peace too. Many people have reached out asking how we are doing, it’s a difficult question to answer. We are struggling. We are tired. Our spirits are sad, and angry, for the injustice and corruption that led us to this place, and our hearts are broken for the further suffering of many people who’s load was so heavy from the start.
But we keep moving forward; we choose optimism, and truly, what other choice do we have?
