Bahamians look for hope after Hurricane Dorian destroys their homes

Suitcases line alleyways and families are unsure of where their kids will sleep. This is the reality for an entire population who survived Hurricane Dorian.

In the Bahamas, our crew met Rosie Edmond moments after she stepped foot off a ferry. The private boat brought her and her daughter along with nearly 300 other people from the ravaged island of Aboco, to the capital city of Nassau.

“I just count my blessings, every one of us who made it. It’s a blessing,” said Edmond, letting out tears as she explained that her only belongings now are the people she loves. “This is all I have. This is my daughter here, my sister.”

Most of the people on the ferry didn’t know where to go. There was no government official waiting for them at the port, instead, nonprofits organized rides to shelters.

There are three shelters in Nassau, but our crew wasn’t allowed to document the conditions inside. Still, this option was the best thing compared to evacuees staying at their homes in the Abocos.

“To watch your own people underneath a bunch of rubble just like that; there’s nothing you can do,” Edmond said. “You can’t give a helping hand. It is what it is.”

The faces of children after the devastation provides the greatest heartbreak. Their parents look for work for themselves and school for their kids. Most of all, these evacuees want someone to be there for support.

“The children, it doesn’t matter; everybody’s in the same situation,” Edmond said. “Nobody can help, nobody. It’s the same story. Everybody’s broken, so it is what it is. It isn’t Haitian or Bahamian or white people. It’s just the human race. That’s it. People. People are hurting.”

Support and aid received in the Bahamas