In Haiti, since July 7 of last year, when President Jovenel Moise was assassinated, the situation has been very confusing and stormy. It can be said that since then, mainly in the big cities, there have been continuous strikes and looting, at the same time the whole country is in the grip of a fight between local gangs, which have thrown the whole country into an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. As a result, practically nothing works without problems in Haiti. As local bandits block the roads, the supply throughout the country is disrupted and there is a shortage of fuel, on which even the delivery of food to remote parts of the country depends.

Among other things, the Archdiocesan Charity of Olomouc in Haiti mainly supports children in three schools, these are two parish schools, the first in Baie-de-Henne in the northwest, the second in Roche-a-Bateau in the southwest, and the school of Indian sisters from St. Joseph in the regional town of Gonaives. These schools are de facto dependent for the most part on our help, i.e. on you, the adoptive parents and donors. With your donated funds, even children from poor families who would otherwise not receive basic education can afford school.

Because of what I posted, the school year hasn’t even started in Haiti this year. First, the start of the school year was postponed from September 5 to October 3, and even on that date, schools in Haiti had not yet started classes. As I reported a few weeks ago, the nuns’ school in Gonaives was practically completely looted, and the Indian nuns, who have devoted themselves almost entirely to education, are now desperately trying to raise funds to rebuild it. We, as an Archdiocesan charity, have therefore set up an account and will later hand over the selected funds to them. This school in Gonaives will surely start the school year very late. Another thing that we are unable to do due to the unrest is the annual monitoring trip that was scheduled for October 27th, which we will have to postpone for this year due to the above reasons.

I am in intensive contact with the sisters and the other two schools, and we all believe together that this turmoil-ridden country will return to “normal” and the situation will calm down, at least to the extent that the basic institutions, of which the school undoubtedly belongs, will function. We discuss the changing situation and try to solve it as best we can. I want to assure you that the funds you have selected will be provided to children in Haiti this year as well and that they will fulfill the purpose for which they are intended, that is to provide children with education, without which there is no development or progress for the better.