Hope for Haiti – Myrlande’s story
Myrlande talks about how gangs recruit children in Haiti and how school feeding can prevent children from joining gangs.
Myrlande helps to prepare and serve meals to children who attend Verena II Primary School in Haiti’s capital city, Port-au-Prince. She has three children aged 10, 15 and 21.
In September 2023, the school in the Delmas 2 area of the city was caught up in fighting by rival gangs. As one gang tried to hide in the school grounds, another gang attacked, resulting in shooting in the playground and school buildings being set on fire.
In this interview, Myrlande talks about how gangs recruit children in Haiti and how school feeding can prevent children from joining gangs.
Mary’s Meals: Could you talk about what happened at Verena II School and the impact of gang violence?
Myrlande: There had been shootings in the area before. And when this happened, we would make the children lie on the floor until it was over. But this situation was different. It was a battle – gang against gang. When one gang got into the school and hid, the other gang realised there were children in the school and came to get them out.
When the school re-opened the next day, one of the gangs said they were protecting the school and that we shouldn’t worry. We could only work in the lower levels of the building for our safety, with two or three gang members inside the school grounds saying they were protecting us.
In the end, the situation got so bad we decided to move the school to a new location in Maïs Gâté. But one of the gangs said that if we didn’t continue to open the school in Delmas 2, we would never get a school anywhere else. So now we have two school locations, one still in Delmas 2 and another located in Maïs Gâté.
How do gangs recruit children?
For some children, they see a friend with money or a gun, and they want the same. But other children are forced to join gangs. I know of one child who was kidnapped and when they were released five days later, they came home with a gun. He wasn’t released until he agreed, against his will, to be part of the gang.
Preventing children from joining a gang is difficult. There are programmes for parents telling them how to educate and encourage their children not to get into gangs. But the main problem is hunger in Haiti. Children that can’t stand the hunger often join gangs.
How does school feeding discourage children from joining gangs?
When there are no meals at school, the children don’t come. When meals are served, they always come and are not tempted by what’s happening outside on the streets.
When the children know there will be meals, they tell one another, and they all come. It really encourages them to be in class and stay there. This is the best way to keep children in education and out of gangs.
Finally, what does the future hold for Haiti?
Last year on 31 December, I went out buy things to make joumou, our traditional soup, to celebrate Haiti’s Independence Day on 1 January. I was amazed to see how many people were outside selling things. I thought to myself: “This is the way to show that we Haitians want to live.”
We have a saying that Haiti is a boat that will not sink. We all believe that Haiti won’t sink. I might not see it, but there will be a change, and my children will benefit from it.
It costs just £19.15, €22, $25.20 USD or $31.70 CAD to provide a child with school meals for an entire school year. Learn how the promise of a daily meal at school enables the children we serve in Haiti to receive an education and avoid getting caught up in gang violence.
Steph Bungay is our Content Officer and works with our partners to share the stories about how our work supports millions of children around the world. She recently spoke with mothers in Haiti to highlight why school meals play a vital role in keeping children out of gangs. Read her interview with volunteer cook Chantrelle on the impact of gang violence on her family, and read an article about how food is a major incentive preventing children joining gangs.