February 8, 2024
Hello Friends!
I greet you with somber news and a request for urgent prayer for the country of Haiti. I have just connected with Coicy. He and his family are safe; however, they have not been able to leave their home for the last four days due to the extreme unrest. The school program has been unable to restart since the Christmas holiday.
Situation in Les Cayes: “Ongoing protests aimed at pushing Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign by Feb. 7 escalated on Monday, with one demonstrator shot dead and three left wounded in Les Cayes.” ~The Haitian Times
“February 7th is Haiti’s constitutionally designated date for a new head of state to be installed. Elections last took place in Haiti in 2016, and since then the country has been embroiled in a deepening political crisis. The vote has not taken place, causing U.S. officials and others in the international community to say they consider the deadline to be an artificial one.” ~Miami Herald
While several countries have tried to lend aid in peacekeeping, most efforts have been denied or delayed. A court in Kenya recently barred 1,000 police officers from deploying to Haiti. Kenyan President William Ruto has said both countries are currently working on the legal paperwork to address the court’s concerns.
Without enough security, Haiti will be unable to hold elections and therefore be unable to move forward out of a place of political upheaval.
Please continue to lift the people of Haiti up in prayer. For solutions to come swiftly and to have long lasting positive outcomes.
Our Response: Youth 4 Business strives to provide entrepreneurial education because we know that education ends poverty. Our students are living in a crisis upon crisis lifestyle between political unrest, natural disasters, and lack of access to necessities. We believe that while no one can prepare for every scenario, knowing how to plan, to save, and to adjust to new situations on an almost daily basis is vital to surviving in this type of landscape. Our students, their families, and the thousands of alumni in the Les Cayes community face today’s crisis stronger and more resiliently because of the education provided by Youth 4 Business.
We will continue to provide entrepreneurial education to the youth of Les Cayes when it is
safe to do so. In the meantime, our team is on the ground working to support the community in tangible ways during this time.
Your invaluable support of Youth 4 Business gives hope to the community of Les Cayes.
With Gratitude and Hope,
~Ruth