The Hill News

Following January’s devastating earthquake that killed almost 300,000 people and left more than a million homeless, America pledged to help Haiti “build back better.” Twelve months later, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere still struggles to get back to square one.

One million people still live in makeshift housing and only 5% of the earthquake rubble has been cleared. As one Haitian government minister noted, the daily deprivations facing Haitians are enormous: 85% unemployment, 48% illiteracy, 66% use of candles as a primary light source, 80% have no access to potable water, and 70% live on less than $2 per day.

Thanks to the generosity of many Americans, many lives were saved in the aftermath. And there is no doubt that Haiti will continue to face real financial needs.  But decades of donations to Haiti have not brought any sustainable results. Even with the best intentions, donors too often impose solutions that are wrong for the co! ntext. And to make things worse, US government policies undermine our best efforts to help poor people succeed.

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