Forced to flee her home due to gang violence in Haiti’s capital, 13-year-old Dieussika has a simple but powerful message for adults and leaders: “Do not give up on children.”
Dieussika was living peacefully with her family in Port-au-Prince when escalating insecurity forced them to flee. During the chaos, her sister nearly died after suffering a severe asthma attack.
“We had to leave our home,” she said. “But despite everything, I wanted to continue going to school.”
A country in crisis
Haiti remains gripped by a severe security crisis, with armed gangs battling for territorial control across the capital and beyond. The violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, worsening an already fragile humanitarian and economic situation.
For children, the impact has been devastating. During the 2024–2025 school year, more than 1,600 schools were closed, while dozens were damaged or occupied by armed groups. In displacement sites and overcrowded shelters, children often lack textbooks, learning materials, and trained teachers, making education nearly impossible.
Life in displacement
Dieussika and her family moved between multiple temporary shelters, facing poor sanitation, insects, and illness.
“There are diseases and insects that bite,” she said. “But I still wanted to go to school.”
At one displacement site, she was finally able to resume learning through catch-up classes organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
One night, heavy rain soaked her belongings, destroying her books and clothes. Dieussika spent the entire night drying them—determined not to miss school.
“School means so much to me. Without education, my dream would be lost.”
School as a lifeline
With five months of accelerated learning supported by Education Cannot Wait, the UN’s global fund for education in emergencies, Dieussika was able to sit for her exams and return to formal schooling.
Alongside academic lessons, she also received vocational training in crochet, leatherwork, and cosmetology—skills that helped rebuild her confidence.
“I had lost hope,” she said. “But these classes gave me confidence again.”
Her favourite subjects are French and mathematics, and she says she feels proud each time she brings good grades home to her parents.
Dreams rebuilt through learning
Now back in school, Dieussika actively participates in class and dreams of becoming someone who can help children and raise awareness about rejecting armed violence.
“Without school, we cannot achieve our dreams,” she said. “I want to become someone important to help people.”
Her message to decision-makers is heartfelt and direct:
“Do not give up on children. Love them even more and give them opportunities to learn and dream.”
Education under threat—but hope remains
Across Haiti, many adolescent girls drop out of school due to safety risks, caregiving responsibilities, or lack of menstrual hygiene supplies.
Despite these challenges, UN agencies and partners, working with Haitian authorities, have provided educational and psychosocial support to more than 17,500 children, including 10,500 girls.
For Dieussika—and thousands like her—education is more than learning. It is protection, hope, and a pathway out of fear.
