A Kenyan police in Haiti leads a blood donation drive to help children who are affected by gang violence in Haiti/HANDOUT
A team of Kenyan police in Haiti led a blood donation drive to help children who are affected by gang violence in the Caribbean nation. Gang violence in Haiti has severely impacted critical sectors, including healthcare.
Officials under the Multinational Security Support (MSS) say government health facilities have become targets as gangs recognise their essential role in the daily lives of Haitians.
Among the most affected is maternal healthcare, where pregnant women have faced significant challenges due to disrupted services.
The Haitian government has renovated several health facilities to improve the healthcare system. Supporting this initiative, the MSS community engagement platform organised a blood donation drive on Saturday, December 21, 2024, at its LSA 1 base.
More than 100 police officers participated, donating blood through a partnership with the Rotary Club of Juvénat (RCJu) and other stakeholders.
This blood drive was a prelude to the Children’s Christmas Fanfare scheduled for Sunday, December 22, 2024, at the Karibe Hotel.
A team of Kenyan police in Haiti led a blood donation drive to help children who are affected by gang violence in Haiti/HANDOUT
The event hosted more than 300 vulnerable children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Port-au-Prince.
During this festive period, the initiative aims to provide these children with a day of joy, leisure, healthcare services, medication, and treated mosquito nets, all free of charge.
Children and parents/ guardians received medical consultation and treatment from the MSS team of doctors, as the blood donation drive continued in another stand close by.
It was humbling to see children who have been traumatized by gang activities in their neighbourhoods at least have a moment to smile and play in a secure environment.
Organisers also gave out Christmas gifts as various youthful musicians belted their children's hits on the stage. MSS police officers mingled and interacted freely with the kids showing their other side of demeanor when not battling gangs in Solino and Pont-Sonde.
The event was a collaborative effort involving the Rotary Club of Juvénat, national and international organizations, and the DDR-CVR section of the UN.
The Community Police (PC/Edupol) of the Haitian National Police, the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission, and KPTSLet Sant Kiltirèl Nago (SKN) were key partners in organising this second annual Children’s Christmas Fanfare, building on the success of last year’s event. Kenyan cops are in Haiti to help contain gangs that are controlling more than 80 per cent of Port-au-Prince. Kenya will send 600 more police officers to Haiti to bolster an international anti-gang mission.
The plan has been derailed by the closure of the main airport there over the gang violence. At least 10 countries have promised to send a total of about 2,900 troops to participate in the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS).
But only about 430 have deployed since the U.N.-authorised mission got underway in June, nearly 400 of them from Kenya. The UN-authorised mission that is led by Kenya faces a funding inadequacy as member states who committed to contribute $ 84 million (Sh10.8 billion) have so far contributed $67 million (Sh8.6 billion).
This has delayed many plans on the ground.
The said contributions from member states have been made by through the UN Trust Fund for the MSS.
