Consequences of new gang war on Saint Luke Foundation’s Schools in the biggest slum of Haiti
/Two (2) weeks ago, a gang war started in “Cité Soleil”, the biggest and poorest slum in Haiti. This war includes many gangs from different neighborhoods. According to the United Nation (UN) and the “National Human Rights Defense Network” (RNDDH) in 13 July 2022 publication, more than four hundred (400) people have already been killed, and the war is still going on. Some people have narrowly escaped from their neighborhoods, but most of the population is blocked inside under gang pressure and are without food and water. The deceased had no access to first aid after being hit by bullets.
St Luke teams have already distributed water to thirty thousand (30,000) people, operated on one hundred twenty (120) injured people and held the funerals of thirty (30) victims.
Unfortunately, one of the St Luke Foundation’s schools was vandalized and burnt down.
The school year begins September 5th, but for these children in “Cité Soleil” it will be practically impossible for their parents to find and then afford a different school due to inability to safely travel and increased lack of financial means for parents who already struggle to feed their families.
Nothing is operational in “Cité Soleil”. And our five (5) schools that have been providing academic education to kids in the “Cité Soleil” and the surrounding areas, for many years, may no longer operational for the academic year 2022-2023. Those schools are:
1) “Saint-Francois d’Assise” school with 150 girls and 157 boys;
2) “Saint-Martin de Porres” school with 109 girls and 92 boys;
3) “Petite Compagnie de Saint-Luc” school, with 194 girls and 156 boys;
4) “Saint-Patrick” school with 63 girls and 63 boys;
5) “Saint-Ambroise” school with 137 girls and 142 boys.
Fifty thousand (50,000) kids may not go to school in “Cité Soleil” this rapidly approaching school year. St Luke Foundation intends to build some sheds to welcome the victims of this war and use them to continue providing education and will be providing school supplies such as backpacks, notebooks, pencils, pen...
Sending the students of our “Cité Soleil” schools and other children in the areas of similar situations back to school is one of the biggest challenges for St Luke Foundation - especially the Outreach Program. We ask for your prayers and support as we try to prevent those children from losing the 2022-2023 academic year.
When these difficult and sad situations occur, our teams and those we serve have been blessed by your prayers and your generosity. Because of your support, St Luke educational programs have been able to provide thousands of students’ educational training so far. And we pray you will always stand with us in difficult and challenging situations.
Cité Soleil needs you more than ever .
Saint Luke Foundation
Port au Prince Haiti
July 27 ,2022
