Hope for Katia Persists Despite Hardships in Haiti

Crowded makeshift shelters. No more than one meal a day. Rampant kidnappings and violence. This is the reality for many Haitians living in and around Port au Prince and Haiti’s larger cities. 

In Haiti, gang violence has displaced at least 130,000 people. Entire communities in Haiti live in constant fear for their lives. This hardship is compounded by a series of natural disasters over the past two decades, emergency levels of hunger, and the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

Convoy of Hope has been active in Haiti since 2006 and feeds more than 126,000 kids every school day. One of these kids is 13-year-old Katia. 

In early 2022, Katia’s father was in an accident that prevented him from working. His injury made caring for Katia and her five siblings much harder. 

But because Katia is fed nutritious meals at school, a major burden is lifted off her parents’ shoulders. 

“This food gives me the strength to study and helps me grow,” she said. “Without this food, it is difficult for me to stay motivated in class to learn.” 

Though the situation in Haiti is dire and complicated, there is hope. With resources and training from Convoy of Hope, children are receiving nutritious food every school day, women are starting their own businesses and advocating for themselves, and farmers are seeing bigger yields from their harvests — all with the goal of breaking the cycle of poverty and creating sustainable communities.