Public transport drivers waiting for passengers and passersby walking along the sidewalk on Airport Road on April 15, 2024. Photo credit by Guerinault Louis for the Haïtian Times 
A view of trade activities at the airport crossroads with Route de Delmas on April 15. Street vendors selling all types of merchandize venture out timidely from their forced prions on a relief day after being forced by armed individuals to stay in prisons in their own home. Street vendors were selling all types of merchandise. They ventured out timidly after they had been forced by armed individuals to stay in their homes like prisoners.This was a relief day. Photo credit by Guerinault Louis for the Haïtian Times 
A woman on a motorcycle passes a gas station with a gallon on her head in the Delmas neighborhood. Photo credit by Guerinault Louis for the Haïtian Times 
A woman carrying a bundle of tea leaves walks the streets to sell whatever small goods she can find to earn a living. With armed gangs keeping residents in Port-au-Prince under their grip, many people are forced to stay home, making it difficult for those who rely on daily sales to get by. Photo credit by Guerinault Louis for the Haïtian Times 
A woman is seen walking down Delmas 19 road with a child in her arms on April 15. This day was a much-needed relief for the residents of Port-au-Prince who had been facing numerous assaults by armed gangs for the past two months. Photo credit by Guerinault Louis for the Haïtian Times 
Two women squeezed on a motorcycle with their luggage on Airport Road on April 15. Photo credit by Guerinault Louis for the Haïtian Times 
A woman is seen displaying her bananas on the sidewalk of Route de Delmas, hoping to sell her merchandise. Due to the frequent imprisonments by armed gangs, street vendors are often unable to sell their goods and make a living. As a result, on days when they are granted some relief, vendors drop their goods anywhere on the sidewalk. Photo credit by Guerinault Louis for the Haïtian Times 
Merchants are transporting goods on a motorcycle in Delmas 30, while street vendors are selling sweet treats in the background. Despite the recent security challenges in Port-au-Prince, people have resumed their activities timidly after being kept hostage in their homes by armed gangs who had a grip on Port-au-Prince. Photo credit by Guerinault Louis for the Haïtian Times 
A merchant was cutting sugar cane on Route de Delmas on April 15th. Street vendors and residents were out and about, after being forced to shelter at home due to armed gangs. Photo credit by Guerinault Louis for the Haïtian Times 
On April 15, a street vendor carrying a basket of peppers on her head and hand could be seen walking along Route de Delmas. These vegetable street vendors depend on the daily open market to earn a living. They have been unable to do so since February 29, and have been forced to stay at home. Photo credit by Guerinault Louis for the Haïtian Times
PORT-AU-PRINCE— In the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, residents stepped outside on April 15, emerging from the confines of their homes after being compelled to seek refuge indoors amidst the turmoil wrought by armed gangs in Haiti’s capital. Whether it was the sight of a woman astride a motorcycle in search of scarce gasoline, a mother tenderly cradling her child in the neighborhood of Delmas, or a street vendor resiliently peddling fruits and vegetables on the sidewalk, the resilience of the people was in display as they steadfastly refused to succumb to the siege enveloping their city.
In a city plagued by incessant assaults by armed gangs, the constraints of being confined within the safety of their homes have imposed significant hardships upon those whose livelihoods depend on daily sales to make ends meet. Yet, on a day of respite, the tenacity of the people shines through.
In the neighborhood of Delmas, one woman is seen with a bundle of tea leaves, traversing the thoroughfares expecting to sell whatever modest goods she can procure. Meanwhile, in another corner of the neighborhood, a woman expertly balances a gallon atop her head as she navigates the bustling streets on a motorcycle in search of the elusive gasoline commodity.
For the past two months, the city has borne witness to a relentless onslaught of attacks targeting not only its residents but also vital institutions such as the National Palace, the National Library, the State University, and even the revered 188-year-old First Baptist Church of Port-au-Prince. These assaults serve as a chilling reminder of the iron grip maintained by armed gangs over the city and its environs.
Yet, amidst the shadows of uncertainty, life timidly begins to stir once more, with residents out and about for their errands and street vendors cautiously hopeful of attracting buyers amid the sporadic respite from the suffocating grip of armed gangs. In Port-au-Prince, where new challenges and livelihoods hang in the balance daily, these fleeting moments of reprieve offer hope amidst the prevailing turmoil.
A display of photos taken in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area on Apr 15, 2024