Haiti’s Need…
The poorest country in the western hemisphere, Haiti has been dubbed the “Eroding Nation”. Haiti and her people have been suffering since the day they were depreciated for becoming the “First Black Nation to Receive its Independence”. What does this depreciation and extreme poverty do to the pride of a once fierce and unyielding nation?
In December 2008, the United Nations stated that Haiti ranked 148th of 179 nations in the world in regards to their human development. The data is based on life expectancy, educational attainment, and income, as well as political, economic, and social opportunities. This low ranking is not surprising, considering Haiti currently confronts a variety of hardships, including human trafficking, a corrupt judicial system, and food riots. The indicators speak for themselves: 75% of the Haitian population lives in absolute poverty, one in 25 lives with HIV/AIDS, and life expectancy is 52 years for women and 48 for men.
The relationship between Haiti’s social unrest, extreme poverty, and stillborn development speak to both the adversity faced by Haitians everyday and a profound loss of hope.
