Finding food for 350+ children has been difficult for the past five years. Through our partnership with Convoy of Hope, we have been able to purchase an affordable and nutritious food source, but the food packs have to be picked up in Cap Haitian, 180km away. Normally a 4 1/2 hour drive on the national highway, truck drivers have been forced to take dangerous detours through the mountains to avoid gang roadblocks. Lespwa Lavi had picked up food in January, but the national roads have been totally impassable since then. Thankfully, we had more than enough food to finish the school year, but it ran out by the first week of July.

With Haiti facing record-breaking food insecurity and escalating inflation, obtaining food for the children is utmost priority. According to the World Food Programme, the cost of a 30-day food supply for 1 person is currently around 30,000 gourdes, or $230. The majority of households Lespwa Lavi works with earn about $3-$5 a day, or about $90-$150 per month for the entire household, which can be up to 10 people. That is less than 10% of the income needed to adequately sustain a family of 6, much less pay for any other expenses. With our Child Advocates reporting that many children had no food at home and were completely dependent on Lespwa Lavi for nutrition, our staff knew there was little time to waste.

Mr. Duvelsaint recruited a truck driver willing to brave the dangerous journey through the mountains. A journey that should have taken 4 hours took 4 days. Winding through dangerous passes and carving out roads where there were none, the truck driver amazingly avoided any gang confrontation. The truck broke down twice, forcing them to walk to nearby villages for help with repairs. They had to stop overnight on a cliff when it started raining and the clay-based soil became too slippery to drive.

Amazingly, in the early morning hours, the truck arrived back in Verrettes with food for all our children!

Food Miracles 2024