Poverty in Haiti

It may not be surprising to hear poverty in Haiti is huge, but realizing that Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere is a bit of a shock when you find out it is also home to some of the wealthiest people in the world as well. Approximately 80% of Haiti’s population lives in extreme poverty; there is a small middle class population and a very small segment of extremely wealthy people, including millionaires.

Most Haitians live in rural areas or very small, often remote, villages. They live without access to electricity or even clean water. Over half the adult population is illiterate due mostly to the lack of access to education and books and the need for children to work from very young ages. Those who live in the cities fair no better. In fact, 65% of Haitian children will never finish elementary school and 80% won’t ever attend high school.

Access to healthcare in Haiti is nearly non-existent. Over 60% of the population lacks access to even the most basic healthcare services. Disease is rampant, overcrowding is extreme and employment is next to nothing. More than two-thirds of the workforce have no regular jobs. Those who do work often make only about $2 a day in US equivalent wages.

Children in Haiti are widely dependent on the generosity and benevolence of others for the most basic of their needs. Soaring food prices worldwide simply compound the already overwhelming problem. For years food imported under US trade deals was so cheap that it undercut local farmers, further diminishing their ability to earn even the most meager of livings. The UN Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that Haiti produces only about 40% of the food it needs.

Nearly ¾ of the population of Haiti cooks with charcoal, cutting down so many trees that deforestation of the mountains is a major problem. Only about 4% of the land is in forest, compared to 30% of US land. Extreme weather conditions further threaten the land, with torrential rains during hurricane season racing down deforested mountains and destroying fields, roads and homes. In 2008, four storms killed some 800 people and caused over $1 billion in damages. Evidence of the massive mudslides are still visible a year later as only about 30% of the mud that poured down hillsides has been removed. Clean water is simply unavailable to many.

The poverty in Haiti is nearly unimaginable to many people and the most heartbreaking of its victims are the children. Lack of food, hygienic living conditions, clean water and basic healthcare combine with epidemic diarrhea, respiratory infections, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS to give Haiti the highest infant, under-five and maternal mortality rates in the western hemisphere. Clearly, the Haitian people face some of the most difficult circumstances around the globe. Without continued assistance from the generosity of other nations, the future of Haiti is unlikely to improve anytime in the foreseeable future.

Resource Box

The Haiti Children Project is a non-profit organization. The Haiti Children’s Project was founded with the sole purpose to provide food, shelter, clothing, healthcare and education through sponsorship, donations, and love. The group takes many trips to Haiti throughout the year to give their time and affection to these children. You can learn more about the Haiti Children Project

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