Nine Kidnapped from Haitian Orphanage: Call for Urgent Help

Nine individuals, including Irish missionary Gena Heraty and her three-year-old ward, were kidnapped from an orphanage situated near Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. The incident took place early on Sunday morning at the Sainte-Hélène orphanage in Kenscoff, with reports stating that the attackers executed a planned break-in around 3:30 AM, penetrating the compound by breaking a wall. Seven other staff members were also seized during this calculated assault. Local authorities believe that gang members were behind the atrocious act, although no ransom has been requested as of yet.

Gena Heraty, the director of the orphanage, has been working in Haiti since 1993 and has previously received accolades for her humanitarian efforts. Despite the growing threat of violence, she has voiced a commitment to the children at the shelter, stating, "The children are why I'm still here. We’re in this together." The ongoing gang violence in Haiti has left much of the populace in peril, with the situation in Kenscoff declining significantly in recent years.

Currently, about 85% of Port-au-Prince is reportedly under the control of armed gangs, leading to severe humanitarian consequences. The UN has indicated a troubling rise in both kidnappings and violence, emphasizing the plight of over one million internally displaced persons in Haiti due to the ongoing chaos. Advocate groups and authorities continue to call for immediate international assistance to restore safety and stability to the region, as gang activities wreak havoc on daily life in Haiti.