Haiti is often regarded as the poorest country in western hemisphere due to the following factors.
1) Haitian government's corruption was among the top ranked.
2) Its mountainous landscape provides limited amount of cultivable land.
3) The wrath of mother nature, such as earthquake.
Another tragic factor is that with a population of 10 millions, the economy is mostly controlled by ONLY FOUR Haitian families (told by the local people). That shows the extreme unhealthy wealth distribution in Haiti.
"80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty." Most Haitians live on $2 or less per day. Life expectancy is 54, but few lives past the age of 50 as many die from diseases.
Many parents, for the sake of their children, implored the foreigner-sponsored/operated orhanage to accept their children for a better future. Some would even falsely claim as the legal guardian of children, whose parents had passed, in hopes to earn sympathy and hence a spot for their children in the orphanage. Without an official death certificate of the parents, their plead was declined.
It is extremely sad to say that being an orphan might be a blessing in a disguish. In addition to a better living condition with three meals a day, children in orphanage also receive education. Most parents cannot provide these: steady meal nor education.
My understanding and definition of poverty changed and redefined forever after the 7-day Haiti trip. I will let the pictures with its captions to speak for this memorable & educational trip.
Enjoy and happy travel.
Human Touch of love: A country where I learned about the possible seems impossible and yet the impossible seems possible.
Water treatment.
The only power generator.
Tuk-tuk. One of main transportation. They drive with siren on at night and at full speed. The 1 1/2 hours drive from the airport to the orphanage was scary.
Our transportation for 6 days. Safety concern is a non-existence here.
Many Haitians use horses or donkeys to carry goods downhill for sale.
Farmer Market: The dusty chaotic scenery was indeed both visually satisfying and scary.
DUST is everywhere. It seems more common to see a horse/donkey parking lot than the car parking lot.
A mother tried to give away this little girl to the orphanage but was declined.
Mike Bellamy - co-founder of HHOH
Nannette - the mother of Mike, also a co-founder of HHOH.
House of Hope Haiti (HOHH) built this orphanage after the major earthquake in January 2010.
classroom
Kitchen.
Community life: the hired workers clean the piles of cloth.
Community life: girls are assigned with various house chore.
Their dinner - bread.
Put on the new cloths.
They love soccer.
Creativity: GUITAR; their hand-make guitar.. No, it produces no sounds. They want to be a musician.
Clean-up the compound.
We rode up through the white dusty windy road up to the mountain. Some mountain villages require additional hike.
They cook outdoor. Mainly red bean for protein.
The villagers sent us off by walking with us for an almost 30 minutes uphill hike.
The house of a church elder.
Some sort of grinder.
The villagers sent us off by walking with us for an almost 30 minutes uphill hike.
They do lack the much-needed human cuddling & touching comfort from the adults.
The girls enjoy braiding hairs..
The donated shoes on their shoes. They smiled ear to ear.
They would sing grace before meal. Very orderly.
Hired the local people with their mountain motorcycle up to the mountain villages. A very adventurous ride.
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