The Haitian community needs our support now more than ever right now. The lives of many of our Haitian friends, acquaintances, coworkers, employers, and strangers are falling apart. And have been for some time now. With so many world tragedies surrounding us, it seems impossible to do anything. It can be overwhelming as so many people and communities, and causes need support.
But even in the face of the seemingly endless reel of destruction and trauma, we can offer support. For the Haitian community and what they’re enduring right now, we can help and support through donations, understanding, and by lending our personal support in whatever ways we can.
A very brief rundown
In the course of a little over a decade, the Island-Nation of Haiti has endured an unyielding onslaught of natural disaster and political instability:
- On January 1, 2010, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.
- Following the earthquake, the country was further overtaken by a cholera outbreak.
- During October 4, 2016, Hurricane Matthew made landfall right before their harvest season and was the strongest storm to hit Haiti since 1964. This exacerbated the spread of cholera.
- COVID-19 lockdowns added to income loss and food insecurity.
- In 2021, Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated, leading to further political instability, violence, and social unrest with widespread gang activity.
- Five weeks after the assassination, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit western Haiti, the largest natural disaster to hit the country since the 2010 earthquake.
Unquestionably, the most crucial fact to understand is that after Haiti fought off the French for their freedom, humanity, and independence, 20 years later. France came to their shores with armed warships demanding “reparations” for their financial losses. Haiti, a free country, was a threat to the slave-owning world. The United States feared being excluded from business and trade, so they agreed. They took high-interest bank loans and paid approximately 21 billion dollars to France, with final payments in 1947. This repayment for their freedom crippled the tiny island nation.
How can we help?
Donations.
Financial support is always helpful and necessary. But to add to Haiti’s list of disasters, the relief funds have been a disaster as well, with much of the raised money never reaching the country due to mismanagement and a wave of outright scams. For example, the over half a billion raised for Haiti led to nothing more than six permanent housing units.
Crucial advice from npr.org: Consult websites like Charity Navigator and GiveWell to determine charities’ legitimacy and avoid scams. The Federal Trade Commission also offers these tips for doing your research.
Understanding and Support.
It’s easy to look at Haiti as far removed from our history, but Haiti’s fight has been integral in our past. Haiti is the first independent Black republic founded by the formerly enslaved, fighting off French rule during the Haitian revolution. This revolution inspired the slave revolts and abolitionist movement in the United States. The Haitian revolution also assisted in the Louisiana purchase in 1803. Furthermore, this doubled the size of the United States, leading to further western expansion and growth. The States made the purchase from the French, who was running out of money during the deadly and financially exhaustive war with Haiti and needed to sell the land to recover. Without their fights for freedom, we’d be a completely different country.
Whether you have Haitian coworkers, employees, or friends, offer emotional support from a place of empathy and understanding. If you are an employer, you can always provide organizational resources like EAP or offer schedule flexibility for bereavement and family care. Above all, it’s always good to be a friend and place of support for anyone in need. Only through togetherness can we overcome, endure, and thrive in the face of tragedy and despair. As written on Haiti’s coat of arms L’Union Fait la Force – Unity Makes Strength.