Overview:
Following the safe release of eight hostages—including Irish missionary Gena Heraty and a young child—kidnapped on August 3 by the “Viv Ansanm” gang in Kenscoff, St. Damien Pediatric and St. Luke hospitals announced on Aug. 29 the reopening of their services in Port-au-Prince. The abduction, part of a broader wave of violence that has turned Kenscoff into a war zone since January 2025, reflects the deepening national crisis marked by mass displacement, destruction and gang control over strategic infrastructure.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — The St. Luke Foundation and Our Little Brothers and Sisters have announced the reopening of St. Damien Pediatric and St. Luke hospitals after the release of eight hostages who were kidnapped from Saint Hélène orphanage in Kenscoff last month.
The victims, abducted Aug. 3 by the Viv Ansanm gang, included Irish missionary Gena Heraty and a three-year-old child. They were freed after more than 25 days in captivity.
In a joint statement on Aug. 29, the faith-based nonprofit organizations St. Luke Foundation and Our Little Brothers and Sisters (NPH, its Spanish acronym) announced the ordeal ended safely. Still, it was “extremely traumatic for all those involved,” officials said.
“We can confirm that Gena Heraty and the seven Haitian nationals have now been released and reunited with their loved ones,” the statement reads. “We thank the families, friends, and all who supported us with prayers in recent days.”
The groups declined to say whether a ransom was paid, adding only that the situation “concluded safely.”
Saint Hélène, NPH’s flagship residential home, cared for 244 children in 2023, including 58 with disabilities. Many receive specialized treatment at its sister centers, Saint Christine and Saint Germaine.
“The safety and wellness of the eight individuals held hostage has always been the priority,” the organizations said, urging respect for the victims’ privacy as they recover.
Hospitals shuttered, then reopened, as Kenscoff goes from breadbasket to battlefield
The abduction had forced both hospitals to close temporarily. Their suspension added strain to a healthcare system where more than 20 facilities are already shut down or vandalized due to gang violence.
Saint Damien, a leading pediatric and maternal hospital, provides more than 50,000 services annually to children and women. In 2024, it recorded 1,260 births, 131 pediatric surgeries, and 46 new cases of childhood cancer. Saint Luke Hospital, which generally treats over 60,000 patients a year, has seen its caseload cut in half by Haiti’s security crisis since 2022.
Saint Damien Pediatric Hospital in Tabarre, Port-au-Prince, as seen during the closure. Photo via Our Little Brothers and Sisters site
Once a peaceful farming hub about 12 miles from Port-au-Prince in the hilly southeast area, Kenscoff has become a battleground since gangs seized it in January. According to the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), violence in the area—between Jan. 27 and March 27—has resulted in the deaths of at least 262 people, including 115 civilians, 147 gang members and eight police officers.
Armed groups have burned homes, killed civilians and fought to control the Kenscoff–Jacmel corridor. They have displaced more than 3,000 people and destroyed at least 200 houses in those first three months of their invasion alone, BNUH reported.
On Aug. 21, Viv Ansanm fighters occupied the state-owned Téléco telecommunications site, disrupting air communications. Four days later, police raided the site, killing several gang members and seizing assault rifles, ammunition and radios.
During the joint operation in Kenscoff, several gang members were killed, others arrested and a large cache of weapons and ammunition was seized
Despite a Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission (MSS) working alongside the Haitian National Police (PNH), which has recently undergone leadership changes, insecurity persists. Officers cite Kenscoff’s difficult terrain and lack of adequate equipment as major obstacles.
Violence beyond Kenscoff
The hostage crisis highlights a broader wave of kidnappings beyond Kenscoff. The BINUH reported 185 kidnappings between April and June 2025. Additionally, 1,520 people were killed, 609 injured and 628 victims of sexual violence. These incidents occurred mainly in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, Artibonite and Centre departments.
Across the capital, gangs continue to push residents from neighborhoods like Delmas 30, Nazon and Solino. Police have warned displaced residents not to return, saying gangs intend to use civilians as human shields during upcoming security operations.
“These are the same criminals who want to hide among civilians to escape law enforcement,” police said in an audio message on its Facebook account. “The time for return will come, but only under proper security conditions.”
This increase in insecurity has caused the United States to revise its strategy in Haiti. Along with Panama, it introduced a new draft resolution calling for the UN Security Council to approve a Gang Suppression Force (GSF) and a UN Support Office to provide logistical support for ground operations.
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