Haiti faces gang violence, growing humanitarian crisis

ABC News' Matt Rivers traveled with aid workers into one of the most dangerous spots in the world, where gang violence and famine have led to a humanitarian crisis.
5:19 | 06/01/23

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Transcript for Haiti faces gang violence, growing humanitarian crisis
TOMORROW MORNING ON GMA. WE CONTINUE WITH THE NEWS HERE WE CONTINUE WITH THE NEWS HERE TONIGHT AND NOW TO ANOTHER TONIGHT AND NOW TO ANOTHER "ABC NEWS" SPECIAL REPORT, "ABC NEWS" SPECIAL REPORT, TONIGHT OUR TEAM INSIDE HAITI, TONIGHT OUR TEAM INSIDE HAITI, THE U.N. SAYS THERE'VE BEEN MORE THE U.N. SAYS THERE'VE BEEN MORE CIVILIANS KILLED IN HAITI THEN CIVILIANS KILLED IN HAITI THEN IN UKRAINE IN THE FIRST FOUR IN UKRAINE IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THIS YEAR. MONTHS OF THIS YEAR. TONIGHT, A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT THE TONIGHT, A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT THE HORRIFIC VIOLENCE AND MET RIVERS HORRIFIC VIOLENCE AND MET RIVERS ON THE DANGEROUS JOURNEY TO GET ON THE DANGEROUS JOURNEY TO GET HELP TO THE CHILDREN. HELP TO THE CHILDREN. >> Reporter: WE TRAVEL IN >> Reporter: WE TRAVEL IN HEAVILY ARMORED VEHICLES ACROSS HEAVILY ARMORED VEHICLES ACROSS HAITI, WE'RE HEADED TO ONE OF HAITI, WE'RE HEADED TO ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACES IN THE THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACES IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. WORLD RIGHT NOW. SO RIGHT NOW, WE ARE GOING INTO SO RIGHT NOW, WE ARE GOING INTO THE AREA ENTIRELY CONTROLLED BY THE AREA ENTIRELY CONTROLLED BY ARMED GROUPS. ARMED GROUPS. THE ONLY REASON WE CAN GET IN THE ONLY REASON WE CAN GET IN THIS BECAUSE ONE OF THE GANGS THIS BECAUSE ONE OF THE GANGS HAS GIVEN US PERMISSION TO ENTER HAS GIVEN US PERMISSION TO ENTER BUT THEY TOLD US WE ARE NOT BUT THEY TOLD US WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FILM AS WE ENTER THE ALLOWED TO FILM AS WE ENTER THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THEY DO NOT NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO SHOW THEIR ENEMIES AS WANT TO SHOW THEIR ENEMIES AS THEY CALL IT WHAT THEY ARE THEY CALL IT WHAT THEY ARE DOING. DOING. AS WE APPROACH THE FIRST AS WE APPROACH THE FIRST CHECKPOINT, THE TRASH BURNING CHECKPOINT, THE TRASH BURNING AHEAD OF US, AND THE SIGNAL AHEAD OF US, AND THE SIGNAL COMES. COMES. PUT THAT DOWN. PUT THAT DOWN. STOP FILMING, STOP FILMING, STOP STOP FILMING, STOP FILMING, STOP FILMING. FILMING. WE TAKE THEIR DEMANDS SERIOUSLY. WE TAKE THEIR DEMANDS SERIOUSLY. AND WE ARE WARNED THAT ONE WRONG AND WE ARE WARNED THAT ONE WRONG MOVE CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING. MOVE CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING. THIS IS WHAT LIFE IS NOW LIKE IN THIS IS WHAT LIFE IS NOW LIKE IN HAITI. HAITI. NOT FAR FROM THE U.S., A 90 NOT FAR FROM THE U.S., A 90 MINUTE FLIGHT, BUT HERE IN HAITI MINUTE FLIGHT, BUT HERE IN HAITI EVERYONE TELLS US THE VIOLENCE EVERYONE TELLS US THE VIOLENCE IS EXPLODING. IS EXPLODING. ARMED GROUPS NOW CONTROLLING 80% ARMED GROUPS NOW CONTROLLING 80% OF THE CAPITAL, FIGHTING OVER OF THE CAPITAL, FIGHTING OVER TERRITORY. TERRITORY. FOR TWO YEARS THERE'S NO ELECTED FOR TWO YEARS THERE'S NO ELECTED GOVERNMENT HERE. GOVERNMENT HERE. NO ONE IS MORE DESPERATE, MORE NO ONE IS MORE DESPERATE, MORE DANGEROUS THAN THIS DANGEROUS THAN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. NEIGHBORHOOD. WE ARRIVE AT THE SCHOOL WITH THE WE ARRIVE AT THE SCHOOL WITH THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME AND THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME AND THE PARTNER HANDS TOGETHER TO PARTNER HANDS TOGETHER TO DELIVER FOOD HERE. DELIVER FOOD HERE. THE VIOLENCE IN THE CONTROL OVER THE VIOLENCE IN THE CONTROL OVER SUPPLIES COMING IN HAS LEFT MANY SUPPLIES COMING IN HAS LEFT MANY CHILDREN WITH LITTLE OR NO FOOD. CHILDREN WITH LITTLE OR NO FOOD. WE WITNESS A RARE SCENE. WE WITNESS A RARE SCENE. THIS SMALL HAVEN FOR THE THIS SMALL HAVEN FOR THE CHILDREN, THEY GO TO CLASS. CHILDREN, THEY GO TO CLASS. BUT THE SCHOOL WALLS CANNOT BUT THE SCHOOL WALLS CANNOT PROTECT THEM FROM WHAT'S PROTECT THEM FROM WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE OUTSIDE. HAPPENING ON THE OUTSIDE. THEY ARE THE INNOCENT VICTIMS. THEY ARE THE INNOCENT VICTIMS. EVANS WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE EVANS WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE AND NOW RISKS HIS OWN LIFE TO AND NOW RISKS HIS OWN LIFE TO GET FOOD TO THE CHILDREN. GET FOOD TO THE CHILDREN. HE TAKES US TO A CLASSROOM HE TAKES US TO A CLASSROOM CAUGHT IN THE CROSS FIRE. CAUGHT IN THE CROSS FIRE. IN HERE. IN HERE. SO THIS IS DAMAGE FROM A STRAY SO THIS IS DAMAGE FROM A STRAY BULLET HERE THAT CAME IN FROM BULLET HERE THAT CAME IN FROM THE STREET. THE STREET. AND YOU CAN SEE. AND YOU CAN SEE. I MEAN, THAT IS THE VIOLENCE. I MEAN, THAT IS THE VIOLENCE. AND THERE'S KIDS EVERYWHERE AND THERE'S KIDS EVERYWHERE RIGHT AROUND HERE. RIGHT AROUND HERE. >> SOMETIMES YOU FIND SOME >> SOMETIMES YOU FIND SOME BULLETS IN YOUR YARD, IN THE BULLETS IN YOUR YARD, IN THE CLASSROOM. CLASSROOM. >> Reporter: THAT'S TERRIFYING. >> Reporter: THAT'S TERRIFYING. >> IT IS. >> IT IS. >> Reporter: THAT TERROR IS >> Reporter: THAT TERROR IS EVERYWHERE OUTSIDE OF THE EVERYWHERE OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL. SCHOOL. THIS WOMAN SHOWS US THE BULLET THIS WOMAN SHOWS US THE BULLET HOLES IN HER DORM. HOLES IN HER DORM. WHEN THE VIOLENCE GETS BAD WHEN THE VIOLENCE GETS BAD ENOUGH, SOMETIMES THE ENOUGH, SOMETIMES THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN BE COMPLETELY NEIGHBORHOOD CAN BE COMPLETELY CUT OFF FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD CUT OFF FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. THAT MEANS NO DRINKING WATER THAT MEANS NO DRINKING WATER COMING IN, NO FOOD, NO TRASH COMING IN, NO FOOD, NO TRASH PICKUP, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE PICKUP, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE DIED HERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS DIED HERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS A RESULT IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. A RESULT IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS THE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS THE DEFINITION OF A HUMANITARIAN DEFINITION OF A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS. CRISIS. TONIGHT, THE U.N. SAYS THE TONIGHT, THE U.N. SAYS THE CRISIS AND THE HUNGER HERE IS CRISIS AND THE HUNGER HERE IS WORSENING. WORSENING. THEY ARE NOW APPROACHING FAMINE THEY ARE NOW APPROACHING FAMINE IN PARTS OF HAITI, 4.9 MILLION IN PARTS OF HAITI, 4.9 MILLION PEOPLE HERE ARE FOOD INSECURE. PEOPLE HERE ARE FOOD INSECURE. HALF OF THE COUNTRY UNABLE TO HALF OF THE COUNTRY UNABLE TO FIND ENOUGH FOOD. FIND ENOUGH FOOD. AND NOWHERE ELSE IS THE CRUELTY AND NOWHERE ELSE IS THE CRUELTY OF HUNGER MORE EVIDENT THAN THIS OF HUNGER MORE EVIDENT THAN THIS HOSPITAL. HOSPITAL. MOTHERS BRINGING IN THEIR MOTHERS BRINGING IN THEIR MALNOURISHED CHILDREN. MALNOURISHED CHILDREN. NO JOBS, HIGH INFLATION, SOARING NO JOBS, HIGH INFLATION, SOARING VIOLENCE MEANS THEY CANNOT FEED VIOLENCE MEANS THEY CANNOT FEED THEIR KIDS. THEIR KIDS. WE MEET PAULETTE HERE, SHE LOST WE MEET PAULETTE HERE, SHE LOST HER TEENAGE SON TO THE FIGHTING HER TEENAGE SON TO THE FIGHTING AND TODAY SHE IS HERE WITH HER AND TODAY SHE IS HERE WITH HER YOUNGEST, MARVINS IS FOUR YEARS YOUNGEST, MARVINS IS FOUR YEARS OLD. OLD. A NURSE JUST WEIGHED HIM, HE'S A NURSE JUST WEIGHED HIM, HE'S ABOUT 9 KILOS OR 20 POUNDS. ABOUT 9 KILOS OR 20 POUNDS. HE'S FOUR YEARS OLD, AND YET, HE HE'S FOUR YEARS OLD, AND YET, HE WEIGHS THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT AS WEIGHS THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT AS MY SON WHO IS ONLY TEN MONTHS MY SON WHO IS ONLY TEN MONTHS OLD. OLD. PAULETTE FEARS SHE CANNOT CARE PAULETTE FEARS SHE CANNOT CARE FOR HER SON. FOR HER SON. AND TODAY, CONSIDERING GIVING AND TODAY, CONSIDERING GIVING LITTLE MARVINS UP FOR ADOPTION. LITTLE MARVINS UP FOR ADOPTION. SHE HOPES TO GIVE HIM A CHANCE. SHE HOPES TO GIVE HIM A CHANCE. WHILE BACK IN THE SCHOOL WHERE WHILE BACK IN THE SCHOOL WHERE BULLETS PIERCED THE WALLS, THE BULLETS PIERCED THE WALLS, THE CHILDREN LINE UP FOR A MEAL, 600 CHILDREN LINE UP FOR A MEAL, 600 OF THEM TODAY ALONE. OF THEM TODAY ALONE. THEN IT'S BACK TO THE CLASSROOM THEN IT'S BACK TO THE CLASSROOM TO EAT. TO EAT. THE SPOONS TOO BIG FOR THE THE SPOONS TOO BIG FOR THE CHILDREN'S LITTLE HANDS AS THEY CHILDREN'S LITTLE HANDS AS THEY EAT EVERYTHING ON THEIR PLATES. EAT EVERYTHING ON THEIR PLATES. A BREAK FROM THE BULLETS, EATING A BREAK FROM THE BULLETS, EATING THEIR BEANS AND HAITIAN RICE AND THEIR BEANS AND HAITIAN RICE AND FOR NOW, THEIR BELLIES ARE FULL. FOR NOW, THEIR BELLIES ARE FULL. ONE SMALL VICTORY IN THIS URGENT ONE SMALL VICTORY IN THIS URGENT EFFORT TO HELP THE CHILDREN, EFFORT TO HELP THE CHILDREN, WHICH IS RARELY GUARANTEED. WHICH IS RARELY GUARANTEED. >> David: THOSE PLATES WITH FOOD >> David: THOSE PLATES WITH FOOD ON THEM, AND WE HAVE TO GET MORE ON THEM, AND WE HAVE TO GET MORE FOOD TO THE CHILDREN IN NEED FOOD TO THE CHILDREN IN NEED THERE. THERE. MATT RIVERS JOINS US NOW FROM MATT RIVERS JOINS US NOW FROM HAITI AND INCREDIBLE REPORTING HAITI AND INCREDIBLE REPORTING AND I KNOW THE U.N. IS CALLING AND I KNOW THE U.N. IS CALLING FOR MORE THAN $700 MILLION IN FOR MORE THAN $700 MILLION IN HUMANITARIAN AID. HUMANITARIAN AID. WE SAW THE CHILDREN THERE IN WE SAW THE CHILDREN THERE IN NEED AND I KNOW THE CALLS FOR NEED AND I KNOW THE CALLS FOR HELP HAVE GONE LARGELY HELP HAVE GONE LARGELY UNANSWERED. UNANSWERED. >> Reporter: YEAH, THEY SAY THAT >> Reporter: YEAH, THEY SAY THAT THAT MONEY IS DESPERATELY NEEDED THAT MONEY IS DESPERATELY NEEDED FROM U.N. MEMBER STATES, BUT SO FROM U.N. MEMBER STATES, BUT SO FAR THE APPEAL ONLY 13% FUNDED. FAR THE APPEAL ONLY 13% FUNDED. THEY ARE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF THEY ARE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SHORT OF THEIR GOAL AND DOLLARS SHORT OF THEIR GOAL AND THEY SAY IF THE MONEY DOES NOT THEY SAY IF THE MONEY DOES NOT ARRIVE, THE SPRAWLING CRISIS ARRIVE, THE SPRAWLING CRISIS HERE IN HAITI WILL ONLY GET HERE IN HAITI WILL ONLY GET WORSE. WORSE. AND IF ANY OF OUR VIEWERS WOULD AND IF ANY OF OUR VIEWERS WOULD LIKE TO INDIVIDUALLY DONATE, LIKE TO INDIVIDUALLY DONATE, THEY CAN GO TO -- THEY CAN GO TO -- DAVID. DAVID. >> David: WE WILL LEAVE THAT ON >> David: WE WILL LEAVE THAT ON THE SCREEN FOR A MOMENT AND I THE SCREEN FOR A MOMENT AND I THANK YOU AND OUR SMALL TEAM ON

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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