Haiti

+++ The violence in Haiti is escalating. The capital Port-au-Prince is under siege by gangs. Blockades, protests, looting and outbreaks of violence are hampering humanitarian aid. 5.5 million people are in need of humanitarian aid. We are preparing support for the population in the worst-affected districts of Port-au-Prince. To do this, we are still heavily reliant on private donations. +++ Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and has not yet recovered from the effects of the severe earthquake of 2010. In the years 2021–2023, 50.4% of the population suffered from undernourishment. The rural population in particular suffers from hunger and poverty, and crop yields are not sufficient to survive. Drinking water is scarce, and people have no reserves for emergencies. In the last decades, the frequency and severity of hurricanes, floods and landslides have increased, partially as a result of human activity: Forests, which otherwise provide a measure of protection from water and mud, were cleared for use as firewood in many places.