Port-au-Prince: As Haiti descends deeper into chaos, its children are being swept from the safety of classrooms into a world ruled by fear. What was once a fragile society teetering on recovery has now unraveled into lawlessness, where criminal gangs tighten their grip and families are left to choose between survival and sacrifice.
While the world’s gaze has drifted elsewhere, the streets of Haiti’s capital cities have become battlegrounds. Schools—formerly sanctuaries of learning—are now shuttered, looted, or abandoned. Many children, left with no education and no guidance, are drawn into gangs by the lure of food, shelter, or the illusion of security.
"The silence of the West is deafening," says Anne Marie Berlier, President of Confiance Haïti, an NGO working to restore education and dignity in some of Haiti’s most vulnerable communities. “We must ask ourselves why these stories remain hidden, why a nation in torment does not provoke international outcry.”
Since the 2010 earthquake, Confiance Haïti has been a pillar of hope. Through two schools just north of Port-au-Prince, the organization provides more than textbooks and classrooms—it offers a chance at life. Students are taught trades like plumbing, farming, and animal husbandry, giving them tools to rebuild not only their lives but their country.
But the climate of violence threatens this progress. Over 2,700 schools have shut down in Port-au-Prince alone. Berlier warns that the daily commute to class has become a gauntlet, and for many, education is no longer an option. “Sending your child to school could mean never seeing them again,” she says.
Children are now prime targets for recruitment by gangs. Without the structure of school, they become vulnerable to manipulation, exploitation, and death. “This is no longer about growing up—it’s about surviving,” Berlier laments.
Still, amid the despair, Haiti's spirit endures. Teachers continue showing up, risking their lives for their students. The Church remains active, offering food, healthcare, and comfort. And in homes across the nation, parents pray for safety and a path forward.
Hope, though battered, is not extinguished. Berlier believes in the resilience of Haitians. “They are creative, tenacious, and determined to rise above their circumstances,” she says. “Hope is our most powerful weapon.”
As the world continues to overlook Haiti, Berlier issues a stark warning: “If we abandon them now, we allow an entire generation to be lost to poverty and violence. We must act—not with pity, but with purpose.”
In a country where every day brings new darkness, those fighting for the light remain Haiti’s greatest strength. Their message to the world is clear: do not look away.