Eating daily, a big challenge for Haitians

Haitians in the daily fight against inflation

For years, Haitians, particularly those living in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, have been fighting every day to satisfy such a fundamental need as food. Through a sidewalk microphone produced by the Juno7 editorial staff, voices are heard, describing the daily challenges caused by galloping inflation and the incessant increase in the prices of basic necessities.

“Since this morning, I haven’t eaten anything. My mother has no money to feed me and my two little sisters. We are starving. We don’t know how we’re going to sleep tonight if we don’t find something to snack on this afternoon”sadly explained to us a 13-year-old teenager whom we met near the Delimart in Delmas 32.

According to the latest report from the Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics (IHSI), the General Consumer Price Index (CPI), which was 373.6 in February 2024, increased significantly to reach 391 .3 in March, which represents a monthly increase of +4.7%, compared to +3.1% the previous month. On an annual basis, inflation now stands at 26.7% in March 2024, compared to 23.0% the previous month.

Inflation in Haiti has reached alarming levels, leaving many families in an extremely precarious state. The testimonies collected reveal a brutal reality: even the simple act of obtaining food has become an insurmountable challenge for many Haitians. “You can’t cook every day in Haiti. We have no money and the prices of products have increased significantly. Lately, eating a rice dish has become a privilege and a luxury”said a mother of four children.

In this difficult context, Haitians demonstrate remarkable resilience. Every day, they juggle their limited budget to find ways to feed their families. “We make do with the means at hand. When I have 500 gourdes, I either make regular spaghetti or fry eggs which I eat with bread with the family. We don’t really have the means, the situation is becoming difficult in the country. I have resigned myself, I can’t steal other people’s things”declared a lady living in Christ-Roi.

Some work long hours and are poorly paid, while others seek creative solutions to meet their dietary needs. “I sell bread, milk and sugar to meet my needs. But it is very difficult because this business does not allow me to support my family, because I have a wife and two children. However, I try to satisfy my family a little because I don’t really have a job, and in the past I worked long hours for a pittance.”said a 35-year-old young man, sitting in front of his small business in Delmas 32.

The impact of the food crisis is not limited to a simple economic question. Malnutrition and undernourishment have become daily realities for many Haitians, especially children and the elderly. Chronic food insecurity has devastating consequences on the health and well-being of the population, compromising the very future of the country.

According to theHIMthe latest IPC analysis reveals that 1.6 million people face emergency levels of acute food insecurity in Haiti, increasing the risk of wasting and child malnutrition, particularly in eight areas of the country.

Faced with this humanitarian crisis, Haitians are desperately seeking lasting solutions. They call on the authorities to take concrete measures to stabilize the economy and control inflation. “It is up to leaders to take measures that will benefit the population. Citizens can no longer resist, members of the Presidential Transitional Council must act as quickly as possible in the interest of the nation which is languishing in insecurity, poverty and unemployment”declared a sixty-year-old.

In addition, citizens are also asking for support from the international community to deal with the food emergency plaguing the country. In an article published on Friday May 10 on the United Nations website, in one month, approximately 30,000 children under the age of five were screened for malnutrition, of whom more than half, 16,000 received care. appropriate to combat wasting.

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