Difficult News
This summer has been tremendously difficult throughout Haiti. When we started Lespwa Lavi in 2016, the people we served lived on an average of $1.25/day, and a well-rounded meal cost about $4. School tuition was $10 a month. The people were already struggling. Since then, the average earnings have remained the same, but the price of food has skyrocketed. According to the World Food Programme, an average meal in Haiti costs over 35% of a person's income, or the equivalent of an American paying $75 for lunch. School tuition for secondary school averaged $25/month at the end of May, and costs are only anticipated to rise.
How difficult to provide for one's family. How impossible. The choices that are being made.....such desperation.
The government...what's left of it, has decided this week to postpone the start of school until October 3rd. The reason is that not enough families can afford to pay the first months' tuition now. However, this means that children will not have the stability of school for another month, leaving them vulnerable to trauma and exploitation. Teachers will not be paid. Students who rely on their schools to feed them will go hungry.
We anticipate that we will see some weight loss even among our sponsored children this quarter, because for many of them, the food they receive through our Convoy of Hope partnership is their only meal. The only thing keeping them alive.
Even our partners at Convoy of Hope/Mission of Hope have struggled to get shipments out of port. Corrupt gangs continue to control much of that area to the south. The delay in getting food out of port caused us to use up our emergency food supply this summer. This week we were notified that the Convoy of Hope food was finally available, however when our director tried to pick it up yesterday, the road was blocked by protesters. To avoid violence, he was forced to turn around, without the food.
For the first time in 3 years, our nutrition program kids will miss a meal.
These children have already proven their potential. 87% of our program graduates have gone on to college/university and are doing well. We know what it takes to lift a country out of the gutter. It's own children will rise up and find a way if given a chance. But they cannot starve first.
Our staff has tried to purchase emergency food from local farmers, but the availability is extremely limited. We will be allocating it to those in greatest need. Fuel for the bus to attempt another food pickup is also a rare find, and we need to purchase more. The waiting list to join our sponsorship program continues to grow....
Please join us in prayer for food. If you would like to give financially, check out the opportunities below.
