Poverty in Haiti

Mr. CahallRoom 312

What role does Haiti’s geography play in the poverty of the country?

• Haiti is located on the western part of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea

• The island is often hit with hurricanes and tropical storms

• The island also sits along several tectonic plate borders– When plates shift the island is

subjected to earthquakes

• The mountains in the central part of the island block rainfall from hitting the western side of the island

• There is little nutrient content left in the soil due to poor farming practices of the past

Has Haiti’s history played a role in the struggles the country faces today?

• Haiti was settled by the French

– The French wanted to send sugarcane back to Europe

– Natives that were enslaved to work in sugarcane fields eventually died because of disease and harsh working conditions

– Slaves from Africa were brought to Haiti to replace the native slaves that died off

• Land was abused by the early settlers– Nutrients were removed from the soil– Haiti struggles to grow plants in the nutrient

depleted soil today

• The people of Haiti eventually won independence from the French – Many people of Haiti are cautious of

outsiders today because they are fearful that they will once again come under the control of a foreign country

What are some of the struggles facing the people of Haiti today?

• 80% unemployment rate– The average Haitian

makes $1/day• No running water

– Many people have to walk 2 miles to get clean water

• No electricity– No lights, no fans, & no

refrigerators• Lack of health care• Families must pay for

school

What role has the government played in improving the life of the Haitian people?

• The Haitian government has been of little help to the country

• Numerous officials have been removed from office due to corruption – Votes are often tampered with– Officials often take bribes for

political support

• The government has little natural resources to work with and numerous problems facing them

There is a connection between the economic crisis in Haiti and the countries geography. The few natural resources limits the job opportunity for the people. The

natural disasters prevents the government from improving the country when they are constantly at a state of repair.

This graph shows me that Haiti’s government

was one of the most corrupt in the year

2005.