Haiti Orphan Appeal: Each new child has their own sad story

Jan 27, 2010 02:25 PM
12 year old deeply stressed

Haiti Orphan Appeal: Each new child has their own sad story, this one is Yannick's

 

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This child detail was sent by Georg Willeit, who also has a Haiti Blog

Every day more children have been arriving at SOS Santos village. One of the earliest was Yannick, a twelve year old, who came himself four days ago.

The last words of Yannick's mother were "Go outside and study for a little while." He says he reluctantly went outside as he did not want to argue with his mother. Yannick and his mother had lived alone in a small house. His father had left them a long time before which may not have been a bad thing "because he often hit me and my mum." Yannick and his mother, who was disabled and could not walk properly, were very close to each other and coped with their difficult everyday life.
 
Yannick remembers that as soon as he was outside: "the earth started to shake and there was a tremendous noise". And then the little house collapsed behind him, burying his mother who was unable to get out because of her disability.

Yannick was horrified and ran out onto the street. An aunt found him and helped him through the very difficult first days together. They slept out on the street and had hardly anything to eat until they finally received emergency aid in a camp.

Four days ago** Yannick finally arrived at the SOS Children's Village. He is deeply withdrawn and just quietly observes what goes on around him. During the day he is quite well, but during the night he has bad nightmares which take him back to what he has gone through and he shivers and vomits in his sleep. The psychologists at SOS Children's Villages are trying to help Yannick. He knows and feels that he is in a safe place and is cared for. But he still mainly feels grief and an inner emptiness without his mother.

 

*We have changed Yannick's name but the picture is of him

**Written on 26 Jan 2010