Poverty is a global problem and there is great need in many countries, including the United States. But after the 2010 earthquake, Poverty Resolutions was founded to make a different in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
Prior to the earthquake, Haiti was the poorest country in the Americas; the earthquake made a bad situation much worse. Over 100,000 people were killed in the earthquake and an additional one million were displaced. Tent cities sprung up in fields and on sidewalks. Many continue to live without access to clean water, proper sanitation or adequate nutrition.
We believe that Haiti is where we can be most effective in developing sustainable and lasting impact. Haiti’s close geographic proximity to the U.S.—less than 700 miles from the coast of Florida—also makes it easy and affordable to take trips, ship supplies, and successfully pursue other efforts.
Following is a quick look at relevant demographic information:
- Estimated 2012 population = 9,801,664
- Median age = 21
- Average life expectancy: men = 61; women = 64
- Official languages = French & Creole
- Adult literacy rate = 53%
- Poorest nation in the Americas
- 54% live on < $1.00 per day
- 80% live below the poverty line
- Haiti’s GDP per capita is ranked 207th in the world ($1,200)
- Unemployment rate = 40.6%
- Labor force is 38% agriculture/12% industry/50% services
- Half of children do not attend primary school
- Only 1 in 5 attend secondary school
- Infant mortality rate of 52 deaths per 1,000 live births
- 1.9% of Haitians are infected with HIV/AIDS
- 7,100 HIV/AIDS-related deaths per year
- 37% of the population do not have access to clean drinking water
- 83% of the population do not have adequate sanitation facilities
* Most statistics have been gathered from UNICEF, The CIA World Factbook, FAO.org and CGAP