19 May 2012

Haiti: Quick Facts

Susan Brannon
19 May 2012

Haiti Quick Facts

The Crossing Borders Project is going to Haiti, to see what life is really like over there.  The different sub-cultures explain Haiti Today (2012) with different perspectives.  The Crossing Borders Project wants to know what is "really" going on.  First we have what I call the large corporation type aid workers, who received a ton of money and people are wondering where the money went.  (More of this on a different post) Second, we have the Haitians who's problems are never ending and not getting much better; HIV is at a height, recent outbreaks of Cholera at an increasing level and is feared to increase during this years rainy season; (more on this is a different post) water is scarce, and many homes have not been rebuilt while crime is rising. 

I have listed some quick "getting to know Haiti" facts

Total population 10,033,00
Life expectancy m/f 60/63
probability of dying under five (per 1000 live births) 87
80% of the Haitians live below the poverty line
Half of the population can be considered "food poor or insecure" and half of the children are under developed as a result of malnutrition.
Less than half of the population has access to clean drinking water
43% of the target population receives the recommended immunizations.
Half of the population can be considered "food poor or insecure" and half of the children are under developed as a result of malnutrition.
Haiti ranks last in the Western hemisphere
The ratio of nurses and physicians are 11/25 per 100,000
Most of the rural areas do not have access to health care, making them susceptible to treatable diseases.

There are over 600,000 Haitians living in tents and temporary structures.  Port-au-Prince is still the most affected area in the center and through the south of the city to the Carrefour, Leogane and Petit Goave district.

Cholera had entered the Artibonite River, Haiti's longest, 60 miles upstream รณ most likely from a leaky latrine at a United Nations camp for peacekeeping troops, who carried it from Nepal.

This is a country only a few hours away by plane from the United States.
This is a country where billions of dollars have been donated and much of it used to support the aid agencies. 

The Crossing Borders Project only has two weeks to let the Haitians tell their stories through the visual image so we can see their lives through their eyes.
Related Links:
The Crossing Borders Project
The Crossing Borders Facebook Group
The Crossing Borders You Tube Page
The Crossing Borders on Idealist  Looking for volunteers worldwide

18 May 2012

crossing borders project: Crossing Borders Book in Digital!

Finally, the book is in digital format...what work!  This is about the West Bank
crossing borders project: Crossing Borders Book in Digital!