Saturday, October 22, 2011

The View from Here

Some photos to give everyone a better idea of what Haiti looks like. If you drive to the south from Jeremie - the route in the direction of Les Cayes you'll see one of the five rivers of the Grand Anse (photo 1),


Continue driving for four hours or so, and you reach Les Cayes. Turn west and continue and you'll see this (photo 2).


This bit of road has one of my favorite views. You climb uphill and can see greenery like that and the ocean not that far away.

Instead of heading south from Jeremie, you can also take a very narrow road to the west along the waterfront. It becomes a dirt road and if you are in a 4WD vehicle, a motorbike can just barely get past you when you intersect (and you will). At the end of this road is the tiny village of Anse du Clerc. Anse du Clerc wins as my second favorite beach in Haiti (photo 3).


You can't see it here, but if you walk down those rocks you will find some sand (not a lot though). You won't see many tourists here... it's mainly the local women, washing their clothes, the local children, shelling almonds (though the almonds here are small and shriveled looking, they are still nice to eat) and fishemen mending their nets.


This beach also has a very wide green grassy area behind it, and then a sharp wall of green mountain rising to the back. I didn't get good photos of that, I was enjoying stretching out too much... also I wasn't sure I could even do it justice. There is also a decently organized little beach bar, rooms to rent, and a toilet. It's a rarity to find that on the beaches here. Although the toilet door doesn't close well, so I did walk in on a guy.

More in the tour of Haiti to follow soon.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Fatherless

Our social worker, Fedy, had tried to explain to me that many children in Haiti are "fatherless." But I learn best with data. I did not truly understand the problem until today.

No Time For Poverty conducted a household survey in the southern region of Haiti. Ninety percent of the households are female-headed households. Ninety percent. Just under ten percent of children are living with their father (or even a step-father) in their home.

I'm beginning to understand.

Followers