Transcript Slide 1

Haiti at a Glance
Haiti is a Caribbean nation, part of the island of Hispaniola
which it shares with the Dominican Republic.
Hispaniola was the first American soil that Christopher
Columbus colonized on behalf of the Spanish Crown in 1492. The
native Amerindians were exterminated after several generations
and black slaves were imported from Africa from the early 16th
century. Later Hispaniola became a haven for pirates due to its
central location important for controlling the Caribbean waters.
An island nation yearning for freedom
A spirit of independence has been characteristic of
Haiti. By rebelling against France (1804) it became the
first independent nation in Latin America and first blackled republic in the world.
Soon Haitians would be giving ample support to
revolutionary Simon Bolivar who led many LatinAmerican uprisings against Spain after 1815. And Haiti
was the first country to recognize the independence of the
tiny Greek nation in 1821!
Wealth and downfall
Haiti was for some time one of the wealthiest per
capita countries in Latin America based on extensive
plantations of sugar, coffee, and indigo-producing plants.
However, development in the Caribbean was repeatedly
halted by external meddling and internal strife. For more
than a century and a half (1800-1950) France, the US,
Germany, and other nations regularly intervened in
Haitian politics through invasions, taxation, inciting
regional hostilities, and other means.
For 30 years starting in 1957 the country was ruled
by ruthless dictator Francois Duvalier (Papa-Doc), his son
Jean-Claude, and their militia. The ensuing diaspora
made vital contributions to francophone Africa’s newly
independent countries.
Jean-Pierre Boyer, one of the
heroes of the 1804 revolution
Modern times
From the 1990s onwards, Haiti
has gone through a period of
instability and prolonged economic
contraction. It is the poorest country
in the Americas and among the
poorest in the Western hemisphere.
To this was added the chaos
produced by this year’s terrible
earthquake. Let us hope that the
resilience of the Haitian people will
carry them through the difficult times.
The Hellenic Society Prometheas Benefit Concert for Haiti, May 14, 2010
The January 2010 Haiti Earthquake
On January 12, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake
struck Haiti and devastated the capital, Port-AuPrince. Reportedly more than 150,000 people
were killed and many were buried rapidly in mass
graves. A large number remain homeless.
The Presidential palace, the Parliament, and
many other edifices collapsed, along with
countless homes and businesses.
The aftermath
How you can help
A number of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) are currently operating
in Haiti. We have selected to benefit SOIL
(see box) with this concert. We will ask for
donations in the course of tonight’s
event.
In addition you can choose to contribute
to a different NGO such as:
National Nurses United: sends
professional nurses to work in Haiti.
Kids In Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.):
delivers clothes, diapers, and water.
Healing the Children: provides medical
care for kids
UNFPA: provides safe delivery kits to
hospitals and midwives.
Tell us more
To tell us your opinion,
learn more about
Prometheas, or become
a member contact us at
www.prometheas.org or
301-229-9389.
The quake has been a huge setback for
this tiny country which had already suffered
political and economic hard times for years. A
number of Latin American and other countries
have provided economic and logistical help,
but the lack of resources makes recovery
difficult to predict.
Who is SOIL?
http://www.oursoil.org/
Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods
(SOIL) is an ecologically focused non-profit
working on sanitation issues in Haiti. Working
directly on site with the stricken communities,
they have responded to the earthquake
challenges by developing and building
sanitary facilities (toilets) in an urban setting
with very little sanitation infrastructure.
Soil erosion was already a long-standing
problem in Haiti where over cultivation and
lack of fuel sources have eliminated virtually
all forest spaces and farmland resources.
SOIL works to increase environmental and
work resources while maintaining adequate
standards of public health.
The Hellenic Society Prometheas, Inc. Benefit Concert for Haiti, May 14, 2010