Beyond Terror: Taina's Journey in a Tormented Haiti

On Monday, August 14, 2023, Port-au-Prince is a city awakening. Political groups and civil organizations call the public to protest, united by a common cause: to denounce the high cost of living and rampant insecurity, marked by an alarming wave of kidnappings and murders committed by gangs.

In this charged atmosphere, our team receives permission from Security to go to the headquarters of the NGO OFAVA. This refuge, working closely with UNICEF, is dedicated to helping children in need and combating violence.

The warm welcome from Manmie Sisi, in a construction site brimming with positive energy, contrasts with the external chaos. Here, within these walls, life stories meet and transform.

One of these stories belongs to Taina, a 15-year-old girl, sitting next to a large teddy bear - a comfort in an often cruel world - she rises as we approach, her eyes shining with curiosity and hope. She knows we are here to listen to her story, to give a voice to those often deprived of it. Orphaned and victim of tragic circumstances, she greets us with hesitant but determined French. Her pseudonym, chosen in honor of her best friend, reveals hidden strength.

Taina, once a resident of a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince and passionate about school, had her life turned upside down by a tragic event. She tells us with focus about her kidnapping and the abuses suffered, her memory still vivid from the horror. "It is still fresh in my mind because it all happened towards the end of July, beginning of August," she will specify.

Her path to the NGO OFAVA is marked by insurmountable trials.

"I lived with my uncle and aunt. Our house was deliberately set on fire by a gang, and unfounded accusations weighed on my uncle, branding him a snitch. My kidnapping occurred next."

Taina will remain in the hands of her attackers for a week; "a nightmare week, confined in a residence where two men unfortunately raped me in turn," she tells us.

Even in darkness, a glimmer of hope can emerge, with Taina, this glimmer manifested itself in the form of one of the less cruel gang members who helped her escape. "Among them, a relatively less cruel individual brought me a glimmer of hope by helping me escape," she will add. Taina remembers that there were other captives, but she was the only minor.

After her escape, Taina finds refuge with the Brigade for the Protection of Minors, a branch of the Haitian National Police, caring for children, and then towards the Institute of Social Welfare and Research before being welcomed by the NGO OFAVA. This organization, which has already rescued many girls kidnapped by gangs in Port-au-Prince, offers her a safe and caring environment.

UNICEF, through the NGO, offers survivors and their families a set of holistic services thanks to the Spotlight Project funded by the European Union. These services encompass medical, psychological, and psychosocial support, as well as housing and training in microfinance and micro-enterprise, also adding financial support for income-generating activities for the head of the household. In addition, the intervention includes assistance in paying school fees for the minor survivor and other family children (or for the children of the adult survivor) and emergency relocation. In 2023, the NGO rescued 640 women, girls, and boys survivors of sexual violence. This constitutes 160% of the goal for the project, which was in 2023, to take care of 400 survivors.

"In this environment, I could finally breathe. The traumatic week of imprisonment I suffered was a period of terror and incessant punishment. I struggled as long as possible until my strength was exhausted, and I finally had to resign myself, for fear of losing my life. The treatment I was subjected to was anything but respectful. Every time they brought me food, I feared that they had introduced drugs into the meals, especially since I had caught them consuming drugs. Their altered state of mind plunged me into constant anxiety, especially since I had been raped by two of them."

The memories of her week of imprisonment, deeply marked by terror, violence, and humiliation, are still present in Taina's mind. But her resilience and faith in God helped her overcome these trials.

"I kept thinking about God and praying. I addressed Him, expressing my incomprehension, wondering why I found myself in such a situation. I implored Him to touch the heart of one of them, and that prayer was answered, for one of these malicious individuals finally helped me escape."

The changes in Taina's life have been profound. Faced with all these trials, today, she remains determined and refuses to let discouragement take over. And for that, a decisive step was when I was taken to the hospital. There, she met other victims; "they shared their stories with me and reassured me that I should not lose hope, that the future still held beautiful things for me. The psychologists I consulted also gave me their support, as did the teenagers present," she remembers.

Today, Taina looks to the future with determination. The encouragement received at the hospital, the stories shared by other survivors, and the support of psychologists and friends helped her regain hope and resilience. Her dream of becoming a police officer still shines, and she plans to resume her studies, as well as take Cosmetology and cooking courses.

Her message to other survivors is a call for resilience and hope: "Do not be discouraged, remain resilient by praying to God, understand that life does not stop there. The future is reaching out to us."

Taina's story is a poignant testimony to human strength and the ability to overcome the darkest trials regardless of age. It is a reminder that despite obstacles, learning and growth are possible, even in the current social and security context that prevails in Haiti.

UNICEF also currently supports the NGO OFAVA to increase its capacity to welcome survivors, allowing it to move from housing 25 survivors and family members to 80. Otherwise, alternative housing solutions for survivors in other temporary structures (type hotel/Guest House) depending on the security context, are explored.

Since 2017, UNICEF has been supporting the NGO OFAVA to respond to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) by setting up safe spaces for women and girls in the most affected areas of Port-au-Prince, namely, Cité Soleil, Village de Dieu, and Croix des Bouquets. Through this partner, UNICEF has access to areas affected by violence through more than 200 platforms of women's organizations with safe spaces that are members of this organization.