It’s nearly midnight. I have just got out of my car after doing a radio interview with the BBC about the latest chaotic situation unfolding in Haiti. Today I had some good news to report: it had been a somewhat normal Sunday. A brief reprieve amid a tornado of violence.
In early March, the government declared a state of emergency as this violence escalated in the capital Port-au-Prince. More than 360,000 people are now displaced within Haiti.1 The health system is near to collapse, and hunger is spreading.
I have been reporting on the situation non-stop, and tonight I still have work left to do – I’m just not sure if I have enough power to do it. I check my inverter to see if the sun has fed the batteries long enough to last for another few hours. Last night, after a cloudy day, the lights went out at 8.00pm. It’s a reality we’ve grown accustomed to, especially in times of crisis. Having the option of off-grid power is already quite a privilege in a country where the majority has no access to a functional electricity network.
I have given up on Electricité d’Haïti and its spotty supply of power, although at least this time
