Carla’s fight for a future amid Haiti’s humanitarian emergency
25 March 2025In Haiti, 13-year-old Carla's* life changed dramatically when violence forced her family to flee their home. Yet, amidst the uncertainty of displacement, her spirit remains unbroken, her dreams unwavering.
Carla* vividly remembers the comfort of her previous life. “When I was home, I was comfortable,” she recalls. “I would shower many times a day, I had it good.” But that life was abruptly interrupted by escalating conflicts that drove her family from their neighborhood.
A journey of displacement
The path to the displacement site was sudden and traumatic. After her brother’s funeral, her family was warned not to return home due to the danger. “When we went up, that was the first war,” Carla explains. “Tuesday, while coming back from school, I saw people running. When I got home, we didn’t waste any time. I took my bag, and my mom and I ran.”
“Tuesday, while coming back from school, I saw people running. When I got home, we didn’t waste any time. I took my bag, and my mom and I ran.”
Carla*, 13 years old, Haiti
Life in the displacement site is far from easy. “I’m not comfortable at all,” Carla shares candidly. “They are smoking in your face, they swear in your face. They even stab people too in front of you.” Despite these harsh conditions, Carla refuses to let her circumstances define her future.
Dreams and determination
Her dreams shine bright against the backdrop of difficulty. “My first dream is to be a doctor,” she says with conviction. “My second dream is to finish school… My third dream is to have a car, to have a house.”
Carla understands that education is her pathway to these dreams. “To accomplish my dreams, I have to focus, to work, to keep going to school, to finish, not let people distract me from my goal so I can finish learning my career so I can rise.”
“To accomplish my dreams, I have to focus, to work, to keep going to school, to finish, not let people distract me from my goal so I can finish learning my career so I can rise.”
Carla*, 13 years old, Haiti
Haiti is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with over half of its population—6 million people—requiring assistance. The situation has dramatically worsened throughout 2024 due to escalating armed violence, mass displacement, and a deepening food insecurity crisis. More than 1 million people have been forcibly displaced, marking a 48% increase compared to September 2024, with 75% of displaced persons located outside the capital.
Plan International has been a beacon of hope in Carla’s challenging journey. She has received multi-purpose cash assistance, dignity kits, and participates in child-friendly spaces. “I like Plan International,” she says, “because when it comes, it plays with us, shows us things we didn’t know how to do yet.”
Despite the hardships, Carla’s most profound desire is simple yet powerful: “I want someone to come and take me away from here. And for everyone in the site—to help them get up so they can go back to their homes.”
Her story is not just about survival, but about hope, determination, and the unwavering spirit of a young girl who refuses to let her circumstances limit her potential.
*Note: Name changed for protection.
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