Armed groups now control a large part of the capital, Port-au-Prince, including key roads leading into and outside the city, which makes people almost impossible to find security.
In the past 14 years, Rose, a humanitarian worker from the International Organization for Migration (Iom), was on the ground, helping the most vulnerable and witnessed the assessment of the crisis of the first hand.
“Whenever I think back to a working day in the field, the first image that comes to mind is the suffering of families, the degree of vulnerability of these disadvantaged people living in inhuman conditions.
A member of IOM staff welcomes people displaced on a help distribution site.
This breaks my heart to see children, infants, mothers and older fathers arriving on travel sites after fled different places due to gang conflicts. Their struggle to feed their families and the precarious conditions in which they sleep deeply affect me.
What hurts me the most as a humanitarian worker is sometimes realizing that we are not able to fully meet the needs of these vulnerable people who count entirely on humanitarian aid. Unfortunately, funding and resources are limited.
As a humanitarian worker, I seek a balance between the amount that I invest emotionally in my work and the need to step back to protect my mental health.
I take care of myself by engaging in activities such as music, sports, meditation or any other hobby that relaxes me.
A smile at a time
Since my adolescence, I have always had a passion for working in the humanitarian field.
A displaced mother takes care of her baby in an old school in the city center of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
The IOM has helped many displaced children and young people access education, give them learning opportunities and support their personal development.
I firmly believe in the possibility of a positive change, even in the most desperate situations.
Each small improvement in the situation of people, each smile that I see strengthens my conviction that what I do is significant.
For example, many people have been able to access safe and secure accommodation thanks to the help of IOM, improve their living conditions and provide a more stable environment for their families.
I met a mother who told me that leaving the travel site brought her her immense joy.
For her, it was not only a question of having a roof above her head-it was a question of recovering his dignity.
Cité Soleil in downtown Port-au-Prince is one of the most dangerous places in the Haitian capital.
Raising her children, especially her young daughters, who had almost no privacy when they slept and the shower had been his greatest daily struggle.
His story deeply moved me and strengthened my commitment to work tirelessly to support these families who have such a great need for our aid.
“Listen to the forgotten voices”
Haiti, this country of resilience and courage, is today confronted with overwhelming challenges and unimaginable suffering. Our children cry, families fight and I see the broken heart of people who face the indifference of the world around them.
I implore you, the world, to open your eyes to the reality of Haiti. Look beyond figures and statistics. Listen to the voices of the forgotten, shouting in the silence of distress. Haiti needs your solidarity, your compassion.
Together, let’s resonate the echo of hope through the valleys and the mountains of Haiti. »»
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First published in this link of The European Times.
