In Haiti, conflict is displacing millions of people and exposing them to mental and physical harm. Approximately 52% of people in Haiti face crisis levels of hunger, with women facing additional barriers to accessing food, livelihoods and essential services. For people forced from their homes, the loss of safety and stability can have devastating consequences for mental health. Yet mental health support remains one of the most critical—and underfunded—needs. A 2024 UN Women assessment found that nearly 70% of displaced women and girls reported psychological distress, while only 10% had access to any form of health service.
With funding from the European Union, Action Against Hunger is supporting women like Rosanita*, for whom the impact of violence is deeply personal.
Rosanita’s Shift From a Life of Stability to Displacement
Rosanita was born in Port-au-Prince in 1970 and spent most of her life in her home in Tabarre. For decades, she knew stability and security. Then, two years ago, heavily armed groups forced her to flee her neighborhood.
The violence devastated her family. Two of her children were kidnapped and mistreated, while her younger brother disappeared without a trace. The trauma left Rosanita constantly afraid and struggling to cope with the losses she had endured.
She eventually moved with her two children to Savane Carrée in Ennery, a place where she had once spent holidays. She hoped to find safety but instead encountered new challenges. Authorities questioned her over suspected links to armed groups, while neighbors avoided her out of suspicion. She and her children experienced stigma and intimidation.
Already traumatized, Rosanita withdrew further from those around her. She rarely left her home. Fear and loneliness became part of her daily life.
Finding a Path Toward Healing
Rosanita’s turning point came through a fellow community member, who had attended an awareness session organized by Action Against Hunger and funded by the European Union.
They referred Rosanita to the organization’s mental health and protection program. At her initial assessment, Rosanita’s psychological distress was measured at 8 out of 10. Her perceived social support was just 3 out of 10, while her overall wellbeing stood at 60 out of 100. The numbers reflected what she was experiencing: fear, loneliness, and a fragile sense of hope.
Action Against Hunger provides mental health and protection services in Haiti with funding from the European Union.
Through regular emotional stabilization sessions, Rosanita gradually began to reconnect with herself and with others. Every Tuesday, she joined a community activity that offered her a space to share, listen, and begin rebuilding her sense of safety.
“It was the first time in over two years that I joined a community activity,” she recalls. “Each session gave me a new feeling, something I had never experienced before. It gave me strength and hope.”
Over time, the change was remarkable.
Rosanita’s psychological distress fell from 8 out of 10 to just 1 out of 10. Her social support score rose from 3 to 8 out of 10. She learned to manage her fear, began breaking free from isolation, and felt ready to re-engage with life.
“These activities gave me the courage to move forward, to not let fear control me,” she says. “Today, I feel less stressed and my life is full of interesting things again.”
For Rosanita, mental health support was not simply about reducing distress. It helped her build relationships and imagine a better future after the trauma of displacement.
Supporting Mental Health Where It Is Needed Most
Rosanita’s experience illustrates why mental health and psychosocial support must be part of humanitarian responses to conflict and displacement.
Through its Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Protection programs made possible with funding from the European Union, Action Against Hunger has integrated services into displacement sites and semi-rural communities in Port-au-Prince and Artibonite. More than 650 people had received tailored psychosocial support. Among those reached, 74% experienced improved wellbeing, 73% reported increased perceived social support, and 60% experienced reduced psychological distress.
These figures represent more than statistics. They represent people beginning to feel safe again, reconnecting with their communities, and finding the strength to move forward.
In Haiti, hunger and mental health are inseparable from the broader humanitarian crisis. When people are forced from their homes, they can lose access not only to food and livelihoods, but also to community, safety, and the support systems that help them cope with trauma. Action Against Hunger works to address these interconnected needs with immediate food and water support as well as mental health support to help people live well-nourished lives.
*Name changed to respect confidentiality.
*Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
