Growing Up Behind Walls: 60 Minutes Reports from a Sanctuary in Crisis-Torn Haiti

The March 1, 2026 broadcast of 60 Minutes turns its focus to Haiti, where correspondent Anderson Cooper reports from Port-au-Prince, a capital city struggling under the weight of political collapse and escalating gang violence. Sixteen years after the catastrophic 2010 earthquake, the country faces a different kind of disaster as armed groups control large parts of the city and the central government’s authority has largely broken down.

Amid the instability, the segment centers on a rare place of safety: an orphanage operated by bestselling author Mitch Albom through his organization, Have Faith Haiti. For more than four years, children living at the facility have been sheltered from the violence outside its gates. The report examines how the orphanage has become both a refuge and a structured community for young residents growing up in one of the most dangerous urban environments in the Western Hemisphere.

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Haiti’s Long Road from Disaster to Instability

Haiti’s current crisis did not emerge overnight. The 2010 earthquake killed more than 200,000 people and destroyed large portions of the country’s infrastructure, displacing millions and overwhelming already fragile institutions. In the years that followed, reconstruction efforts struggled against political instability, economic hardship, and repeated natural disasters, including hurricanes and a major earthquake in 2021.

The situation worsened dramatically after the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. With no functioning parliament and limited national leadership, armed gangs expanded their control over neighborhoods, transportation routes, and key resources. Kidnappings, extortion, and armed clashes have become common, forcing schools, hospitals, and businesses to close and leaving many families trapped or displaced within the capital.

Children Caught in the Crisis

Children have been among the most vulnerable victims of Haiti’s prolonged instability. Many have lost parents to violence, illness, or migration, while others have been separated from their families as neighborhoods became too dangerous to remain. Education has been repeatedly disrupted as schools close due to security threats or lack of resources.

The 60 Minutes segment highlights how long-term exposure to violence and uncertainty can shape childhood development. Mental health professionals and aid workers have warned that years of instability increase the risk of trauma, interrupted learning, and limited future opportunities. For many young people in Port-au-Prince, daily life is defined by confinement, fear, and the absence of basic services that children elsewhere take for granted.

Building Stability Inside the Walls

Within this environment, the Have Faith Haiti orphanage operates with a focus on structure, education, and emotional support. Mitch Albom and his team emphasize routine, schooling, and a sense of community designed to give children stability that is largely absent outside the facility. The program also integrates faith-based values and long-term educational planning aimed at preparing residents for independent futures.

The segment shows how the orphanage has functioned as a protective barrier during years when travel through the city has often been unsafe. Staff members work to maintain normal childhood experiences through classroom instruction, recreation, and mentoring. For many of the children, the facility represents not just shelter but their primary connection to safety, continuity, and hope.

A Humanitarian Crisis with Global Implications

Haiti’s ongoing collapse has drawn increasing concern from international organizations and regional governments. The United Nations has warned that the country faces one of the world’s most severe humanitarian and security emergencies, with millions in need of food assistance and hundreds of thousands displaced by violence. Efforts to deploy international security support have moved slowly, leaving local communities and aid groups to manage daily risks.

The 60 Minutes report places the orphanage’s work within this broader context, illustrating how small-scale humanitarian efforts are attempting to fill gaps left by weakened public institutions. While programs like Have Faith Haiti cannot solve the country’s systemic challenges, they highlight the role of community-based initiatives in protecting the most vulnerable.

By focusing on the lives of children growing up behind protective walls, the segment offers a personal lens on a national crisis. Their experiences reflect both the depth of Haiti’s instability and the enduring efforts to preserve opportunity and dignity for the next generation despite the uncertainty surrounding them.