LAST UPDATE | 6 Aug 2025

THE CHAIR OF the Irish branch of the aid organisation that Gena Heraty works for has said that Heraty serves in Haiti with “love and compassion” and that her role is a “vocation”.

Gena was abducted along with seven others, including a three-year-old child, from the Sainte-Hélène orphanage in Kenscoff, Haiti, over the weekend.

Gena, a native of Westport, Co Mayo, oversees the Sainte-Helene orphanage in Kenscoff, 10km southeast of Port-au-Prince.

The facility is operated by humanitarian organisation Nos Petits Frères et Sœurs (Our Little Brothers and Sisters).

It is believed the gang behind the abduction are associated with Viv Ansanm, a powerful criminal alliance that has seized control of much of Kenscoff.

Jessica Mullins is the Chair of the Board of Trustees for NPH Ireland and told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that Gena is “highly regarded in the communities she works for”.

“Gena is tough,” said Mullins, “so she will definitely be putting on a brave face for everybody else, because it wasn’t just Gena that was taken.

“She is also probably trying to negotiate her way out, but no doubt there’s also an element of fear there.”

Mullins remarked that Gena has “great resilience” and that this is shown through her more than 30-year stay in Haiti working with children and adults with disabilities.

“The country has become more volatile over the last number of years,” said Mullins, “and it would be a tough environment to work in and to grow up in.

“It’s rife with poverty, civil unrest, but Gena shows her resilience and has shown up every day, regardless of how volatile or tough things get on the ground in Haiti.”

She added that Gena is “passionate about what she does”.

“For Gena, I would think this isn’t a job, it’s a vocation, and one of her colleagues said to us yesterday, ‘it’s her true mission in life’.

“She really is an amazing person and serves with love, compassion and dignity and she’s probably one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met.”

Meanwhile, Mullins said the people of Haiti are “kind and warm hearted” and added: “It really is a shame that there’s groups of gangs tarnishing the potential that that country has.

“It’s a potential that Gena sees and believes in and it’s why she’s immersed in the community over there, and works so tirelessly at what she does.”

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said this afternoon that he did not have any update on the  Heraty case but said he had spoken to the Tánaiste this morning about the matter. 

He said “every effort” has been undertaken to secure her release.

“She’s made an extraordinary human contribution to life in Haiti, [she is a] manifestation of the very best of missionary endeavor, particularly working for children with special needs.

“We would appeal to those who have kidnapped her and those in the orphanage to release them, not to harm them. Gena has done a lot of good for people, and we earnestly appeal for their release,” said Martin.

The Taoiseach added that diplomatic and other efforts “through various networks” are also underway to secure her release and those efforts will continue.