The Rodney family is one of many affected by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on August 14, leaving at least 2,207 people dead.
The Rodneys lost the matriarch of the family and five other members when their house collapsed, and the surviving members now live in a vacant lot next to what was once a school for boys where they have improvised a small camp.
Three children, all under 5 years of age, are playing at the camp -- they easily fit into the small, makeshift shelter amid the rubble that the older family members constructed to keep out the rain.
Poor road conditions and extreme weather, including the tropical storm Grace which threatened to dump more than 25 cm of rainfall over the areas hit hardest by the earthquake, rendered delivery of already scarce aid difficult.
At least 600 families are seeking refuge at the Land des Gabion stadium in Les Cayes. They hammered stakes into the ground and covered them with sheets or plastic as ceilings and walls to build temporary shelters.
A person in charge of managing the stadium said that there was almost no food, drinking water, or medicine. Whenever it rains, he said, the space becomes a quagmire, and whenever there is extreme heat, it is difficult to protect children and the elderly.
The adults in the stadium have been busy cooking, washing clothes, and continuing to adapt the place to suit their needs, while children are playing football nearby with a small, nearly flat ball or engaged in games of tag.
The little ones stopped the game every time someone new arrived, but soon, they let go of their fears, screaming and laughing as they played.
Humanitarian needs remain urgent, but people in the hard-hit Les Cayes and the surrounding areas are optimistic about overcoming adverse circumstances.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
