Almost 3 million children are currently facing emergency levels of food insecurity in Haiti
According to the most recent stats by UNICEF, almost 3 million children in Haiti – one quarter of the entire child population – are facing critical levels of food insecurity. Persistent armed violence, repeated displacement, and lack of sufficient humanitarian access continue to threaten vulnerable families, who continue to grapple with significant lack of food and high levels of acute malnutrition.
“We are looking at a scenario where parents can no longer provide care and nutrition to their children as a result of ongoing violence, extreme poverty, and a persistent economic crisis,” said Geeta Narayan, UNICEF Representative in Haiti. “Life-saving actions, such as screening children at risk for wasting and stunting, and ensuring malnourished children have access to therapeutic treatment, are needed now to save children’s lives.”
With food insecurity on the rise, the country also faces a growing public health emergency. Health services across the country are under immense pressure, with less than 50 per cent of health facilities in Port-au-Prince being fully operational, and two out of three of the major public hospitals being out of commission.
The impact on children is severe, with healthcare and life-saving treatment becoming increasingly inaccessible, putting children at greater risk of various forms of malnutrition and preventable disease.
Within this context, I just wanted to say a huge thank you again to all of you who’ve continued providing food assistance for the St Michel Orphanage – your dollars are literally saving lives, and all of it is being done in the name of Jesus through our beloved, trusted partners at the St Michel Church of Christ who we’ve enjoyed a long and loving partnership with since 2013.
