...and what will Haiti look like tomorrow?

Bay of Cayes near Ile-a-Vache, Haiti. 2007

Haitian girl learning to walk

Haitian girl. Ile-a-Vache, Haiti, 2007

Reality in one of the poorest corners of Haiti: if you are born with a physical disability your parents likely won't be able to care for you. Abandoned by her parents, this little girl is in the loving care of a nun (Sr. Flora) who runs an orphanage for the severely disabled. One day she may be able to walk on her own.

My reasoning to post this photograph now was quite purposeful. One of the most frequent Google searches that drives people to my blog is evidently, "Haitian girls." I don't know the motivation behind these searches but I lived long enough in Haiti not to ask. Still, one can hope, the searches are well intentioned.

Castiners in Haiti

By Portia Mills *
Rural Haiti may seem an unlikely place for a gathering of Castine “natives.” But on a Friday evening in mid-March, an unexpectedly large group of folks with deep ties to Castine—Danielle and Larry Mutty, their adult son Paul and his daughter Sarah, Joe Kilch, and I—all gathered around a large dinner table to enjoy the evening air and chat with Fr. Marc Boisvert at his orphanage. Fr. Marc is well known to many in Castine from his first diocesan assignment, as well as Pwoje Espwa, the orphanage he founded in 1998....

Click here to read the rest!

food prices: wake up to the problem and the cause

Food and gas prices have gone up astronomically in the last year or so. In the USA, Europe and other wealthy regions of the world, we deal with the blow by tightening our belts or shopping at Sam's Club instead of Whole Foods or using public transportation more often or modifying vacation plans. Sure, it affects us but not on any devastating level. It is, therefore, very difficult for us to understand the profound impact these high prices have had on developing nations all over the world.

We need to wake up to this crisis and we need to treat it like the priority it is.

Like or not, we are now a global community and when an Iowan farmer shifts production it isn't only his immediate community or market that feels the affects. Yesterday, Paul Krugman wrote in a NYT op-ed "You might put it this way: people are starving in Africa so that American politicians can court votes in farm states." His column lays out in glaring detail how interconnected our world is on every level now - finance, energy, agriculture, even weather. Its worth the read.

Here are the basic facts:

• trade policies set by leading economies directly affect prices of essential items in poor countries
• economic success and development in China and other rapidly growing economies drives up cost of grains and energy globally (see Krugman's piece)
• droughts and crop blights in Australia and other countries that are leading producers of the world's grain contribute to rising costs
• biofuels are a disastrous miscalculation, driving food prices up and promoting deforestation in regions that cannot afford more slash-burn stripping

Some of these things are in our power to change, some aren't. Acknowledging that maybe its better to use oil and continue searching for more, less expensive energy options might mean we have to stomach certain immediate realities we don't like (CO2 emissions, oil-dependency - take your pick) but isn't it a far greater crime for the Haitian poor to eat mud cakes because a bag of rice is far beyond their means? The recent civil unrest there speaks to the gravity of the situation. Something has to change.

The economy of the world is in flux and we have concerns about our portfolios, a Middle-East dominated oil production, the falling dollar, and global warming. But what is a global community without people? Shouldn't these concerns fall to the wayside in light of starving millions?

Our community, our neighbors and trade partners and friends and - for some of us - our families are suffering. We need to wake up to the food crisis. Something has to change.

NEWS ~ Avian Bird Flu in Haiti?

When countries like Haiti make the excruciatingly slow climb out of poverty and corruption, an apparently minor hitch could have disastrous implications on that plodding progress. Today, the Sun Sentinel ran an op-ed on the potentially devastating impact of Avian Flu, now making the rounds in the Caribbean, on Haiti.

While Puerto Rico, a U.S. protectorate, can probably easily weather any disruption in trade between itself and Dominican Republic, Caribbean countries - like Haiti - without the safety net of the U.S. economy, will suffer. The Sentinel writes, "egg prices in Port-au-Prince jumped 25 percent to more than $3 a carton, according to news reports." Little fluxes like these, with high gasoline prices effecting costs too, present terrible difficulties to the majority of Haitians, whose meager incomes place them well below the poverty line.

Though the strain found in the DR is less virulent than that recently found in Asia, the Sun Sentinel's editorial board rightly points out that

Haiti can't bear this now — not while making slow, but what appears to be steady progress under President René Préval. The country imports at least 1 million eggs and hundreds of thousands of chickens from the Dominican Republic daily, according to the country's agriculture minister. A bird flu epidemic and food shortage would further stress a population whose health is already compromised. It could also wipe out a means of livelihood for merchants who sell poultry products.

Some might remember the last animal-related food disaster to impact Haiti: the slaughter of the Creole Pigs. When the African Swine Fever virus spread to Haiti from the Dominican Republic, the U.S. government put enormous pressure on the Haitian government to slaughter all their pigs - offering a seemingly excellent eradication and re-population plan. Thus, Creole Pigs were slaughtered and U.S. shipped in pigs from the Midwest. But the American swine were higher maintenance, requiring imported feed, clean water and falling ill more often. The program failed disastrously and had lasting and continuing impacts on poor farmer.

I would like to under second the Sun Sentinels recommendation that: "The United Nations, USAID and other humanitarian organizations must do everything in their power to help address the problem before the situation worsens."

NEWS ~ mobile phones take over

Digicel reaches nearly 2 million customers in Haiti after only one year of business there.

Read the full story.

the real technological revolution

In 200 years, little has changed in the dominantly pastoral Haitian landscape where ill clad workers stand under a relentless sun in grazing fields or rice paddies. In the last several years, though, with the introduction of cellular phones, one might see the almost surreal sight of a field worker chatting on a cell. The implications of technology and portable devices are enormous in countries with inadequate infrastructure. This phenomenon cries out for more effort focused on how to fully employ the potential for local businesses and development efforts.

Technology has only just started to impact all aspects of life and work in the developing world. As I witnessed in Haiti with cellular phones, newer technology fills in where older, infrastructure-heavy technology failed. Most Haitians, for example, do not have land phones and probably never will. Over decades, TELECO, the conventional phone company, formerly run by the Ministry of Public Works, Transport, and Communications, managed infrastructure that has served only thousands of over five million potential customers. In the last few years alone, Digicel and Voilá (Irish and Haitian cellular providers, respectively) started building towers, setting up “charging stands” in town centers (since most Haitians have no electricity), and offering free minute deals; now millions can have a phone.

Much more effort needs to be focused on how wireless communication devices have begun to change communication and, as the isolation for many people falls away, the nature of culture in Haiti and similar countries. Equally important for the developing world are the impacts on local government, businesses and non-profits. In just years, cellular phone towers did to a mountainous island what wired communication, in decades, never could.

Laptop computers could have similar potential, though perhaps on a smaller, or longer-term, scale. They are much easier to transport, re-sell, donate and, by virtue of the battery, use in areas with unreliable electricity. There is real potential, though with many challenges, for projects that employ the same ideas as America’s “Laptop for Every Student” and the global “One Laptop Per Child” project.

New, smaller satellite dishes or possibly emerging ultra-low-cost and small wireless portable TVs will offer yet more potential for technological innovation to bring information and opportunity to the developing world – and critically to perhaps help advance educational and economic efforts in remote regions. Indian farmers, for example, have been using satellite technology in recent years to emulate farmers in the developed world, to track product prices in the market, check the weather, and learn more about other farming techniques.

The potential value of harnessing the new, portable information technologies deserves much greater attention. For this reason, more effort need be focused on what types of affordable technologies might be encouraged, and disseminated, and on low-cost services to support and expand the capabilities of these tools to help advance humane causes and economic development around the world. What has happened thus far is only a beginning, but has illuminated the potential of this profoundly important opportunity.

During Hurricane Dean this year, the Haitian government, refusing to acknowledge a potential natural disaster, would not put announcements out on state-run radio programs about evacuation opportunities for people in risk zones. Digicel, however, seized the marketing opportunity and sent out text messages to all its customers, offering updates on the tropical storm - for a fee. This last point, of course, drives home exactly the need to find creative, low-cost and perhaps subsidized ways to advance such technology.

"is it safe to travel to Haiti?"

"If you take a bus to Port-au-Prince, make sure your ride is there to pick you up right when you get off. Better yet, don't get out of the bus until you can actually see your ride, and make sure you have to walk no more than ten yards to get there. When I [finally] saw [my friend's] car through the traffic, it was as if the clouds had parted and a ray of sunshine directly from God was shining down upon me," a friend wrote to me the other day about his bus trip from Les Cayes to Port-au-Prince. Though overjoyed to hear he was unharmed, I must say I was not surprised at his tale. My word to the wise always is, "unless you are Haitian, don't get on the bus in the first place."

Despite the fact that things really are better in Haiti these days, my friend's bus trip confirms that safety still has a lot to do with circumstances. In late Spring of 2007, a boat of westerners sailed into the waters of southern Haiti - coming into Les Cayes to fuel and gear up. They found the island fascinating and, not having planned to do so and unfamiliar with the country, decided to spend a little time visiting around the coast. The next evening, while anchored off another coastal town in the southern department, they were attacked. A mob of Haitians had cut their line, and were walking and boating across the sandbars and shallow harbor with torches chanting for money. The small group of sailors, who were too far for any timely rescue, managed to escape - but only just.

The near misses are not reported. That my Creole-speaking American friend got "scared for the first time" in Haiti will not be in a U.N. report. That a boat of westerners almost did not make it is certainly not evening news. But these anecdotes are important because they reveal a continued state of volatility in Haiti. Travelers should feel more comfortable about the kidnapping situation (or relative lack there of) and a safer capital city, but they should still heed travel warnings to stay away from potential mob scenes, avoid public transportation (or tap-taps, as they are called), etc. etc.

I have decided to take up blogging again (for several reasons) and begin with this topic because lately I have received several emails from people traveling to Haiti and their primary concern is usually security. These people are finding me through expat directories and Google searches for Haiti. Thus, let this entry show that 1) I still stay up on what's going on down there, 2) I am more than happy to share my opinions, 3) I am going to start sharing them more regularly here!

suspended... for the moment

One of Espwa's little boys hung some flowers from a spiderweb. It caught my breath to see the little blossoms suspended in air. Images like these - these kinds of memories - and faces like this little girl's float through my mind.

I have not posted in a week because I have been traveling and taking a short vacation. Internet access at my grandmothers and on Isle-au-Haut, Maine is more limited than in Haiti, it seems. Now that I am back in DC, you'll be hearing from me with greater frequency as I attempt to reorient my life in the post-Haiti phases.

the scars to prove it

Once, there lived a young man who walked around with his beautiful, perfect heart on display for everyone to see. He showed it off, pointing out its flawlessness. All who met him marveled at the sight until one day he came across a certain old man. This old man also carried his heart where others might see it but his was not new-looking or perfect. It had pieces missing, gaps where ill-fitting pieces had been jammed, stitching, and deep fissures. When he saw this, the young man asked,

"Old man, why would you show off a heart like that one? Look at mine, how perfect and smooth it is." The old man smiled. Slowly, he lifted his heart and began to explain, gesturing with one bony finger,

"Each missing piece, each fissure is where I gave a part to someone else. Sometimes I received pieces in return. Some of those pieces fit and some didn't -- but I kept them anyway. Sometimes I gave pieces away but never got anything in return."

The young man looked down at the smooth sides of his heart, its flawlessness, its constant shape. Tears welled in his eyes. He was overcome with helplessness. Understanding immediately, the old man tore away a generous piece of his heart and offered it to the young man. The young man hesitated but then clumsily tore away a bit of his own heart, making room to fit the offering.

"That's a start," commented the old man and the young man walked proudly away, holding his heart high.

~~~~~~~~~~

I am back from Haiti (for now). I certainly have the scars to prove that I gave it my all: heart, body and soul. My legs are mangled from necessary motorcycle travel, my waist marred by massive jellyfish stings and my heart a bit broken. The leaving was bittersweet -- sad to leave behind the Espwa kids, good friends and meaningful work but ready to start a new chapter of my life. No doubt, I'll be back to visit soon and my work as a volunteer with Espwa will continue on a part-time basis from the States.

Please do keep up with my blog. I will still report on Pwoje Espwa and other events in Haiti on a sporadic but regular basis but the focus will shift to reflect, in photos and words, the goings on of wherever it is I happen to be located.

higher sea levels

This is the most damage that the streets of Les Cayes suffered in the Hurricane Dean aftermath. So far, only a few deaths have been reported throughout the southern department.

just brushed

The eye of the hurricane passed south of the coast of Haiti. Thus far there has been little rain and only tropical storm-force winds. A few trees fell and the water on the beaches rose several feet. The waves are actually quite impressive.

Our kids were all staying in the primary school for the night and are fine.

Hurricane Dean moves off toward Jamaica and has, thankfully, left Haiti relatively unscathed.

before the strike

"Everyone" is watching the progress 0f Hurricane Dean except those in the Department of the South in Haiti. One does not find too many televisions and radios around these parts any how. Locals express incredulity that anything will actually happen (it has, afterall, been over 20 years since Haiti took a direct hit from a major hurricane). The sky is getting grayer -- taking on that yellow color that it often does before major storms -- and the winds are picking up. The vendors are still in the streets, their wares blowing back and forth. The government sent out alerts... but they are not doing much (they really cannot do much).

The market this morning was empty. No one is stocking water. The guy next door is still washing cars. The streets are full of activity.

The UN is doing what is possible in their limited capabilities to aid the local population -- but this is not exactly their mandate. But either way, no one else is here to do anything: preventative relief is not a priority for the global community so funding is nearly non-existant. Aid will come after; already some major huminatarian relief organizations gearing up to fund the "disaster zones."

If Dean comes too close, southern Haiti will suffer greatly -- even without a direct hit.

Hurricane Dean

No doubt about it, a big one's headed our way.

Hurricane Dean.

The Weather Underground has a pretty good series of maps if you care to view.

The sucker's getting bigger... We're just hoping it slips through Jamaica and Haiti and doesn't head north at any point. Otherwise, next week is going to be all about disaster relief.

Ankle-deep in Haitian mud

It rained all night last night and all night the night before that. Now the road leading to the farm is a 1-2 foot river. It's supposed to rain more yet...

Our cleaning lady holds hour-long conversations with the bathroom walls every morning.

stripping away belying smiles

Despite their tragic histories and less than ideal lives, the Espwa kids smile regularly and "fe desod" (act out) on a daily basis. In fact, catching any one of them in a pensive or sullen moment is rather difficult. Perhaps that goes to show how our screen-less and packed homes, three starchy meals a day and boundless, muddy farmland compare to the alternative, which is nothing - less than nothing - or death from starvation. Yesterday, Paige and I went out to try to "capture" some of the kids looking gloomy. We literally had to bribe them with candy -- and even still, we caught far too many smiles! But man, without a cheerful, toothy grin to hide the sorrow, their eyes reveal naked tragedy. They possess memories that no one deserves, let alone kids their age. This little boy (below) did not need any coaxing, however. It would be hard to exaggerate the harsh reality of going through life with one foot -- especially in a place where prosthetic limbs are only a fantasy.

colonial ruins

Colonial ruins in Mercen, Haiti.

Saut Maturine

Rough n' Tumble

Good News From Haiti

"Good news" is a sort of oxymoron in any case but it is especially rare for the Republic of Haiti, over 200 years independent, over 200 years of turmoil, violence and corruption. Lately, enough positive changes have occurred in the security sector, however, that it may be safe to say that today, there is some good news coming out of Haiti. One can only hope that with a bit more stability in the capital and the outlying territories, the government and outside investors will be able to help bring an end to the still rampant poverty.

Under President Renee Preval, elected in 2006, Haiti has begun to see peace in its streets. According to NPR's latest piece on Haiti, the UN stabilization mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) "...has managed to control security because of Preval." Late last year, the president agreed to sign over more authority to the UN mandate, enabling peacekeeping troops to go after gang leaders in the anarchical streets of Cite Soleil.

Figures provided by the U.N. show the dramatic downward trend in the violence nationwide. In January 2006, there were 240 attacks on U.N. troops. Over the past four months, there have been only 12. Kidnappings are down as well: six in June, compared to 162 in December 2005.

The commander in charge of the peace keeping troops, Brazillian Carlos Alberto Dos Santos, is responsible for spearheading this mission. Whether by luck or strategy, the "soccer-mad" Haitian residents of Cite Soleil resisted less to the presences of these foreign soldiers because a majority came from Brazil, a favorite soccer team.

Lourdes Garcia-Navarro of NPR writes,

Furious building is going on at city hall, another sign of improving times. But while everyone concurs that security has improved, Haiti is still a place of abject poverty. There is no fighting, but there also is still no work.

The UN has a mandate to improve public buildings, but foreign aid will have to come from governments as well as private-sector organizations. Less violence and a more stable government infrastructure are the first steps needed toward greater investment. Haiti has a lot of potential; perhaps it is on the brink of realizing some.