Running head: POVERTY IN HAITI 1

Poverty in Haiti

Andrea De Leon

University of Texas at El Paso

POVERTY IN HAITI 2

Table of Contents

Poverty in Haiti ................................................................................................................... 3

Literary Review .................................................................................................................. 3

Effects of Poverty on Haiti ............................................................................................. 4

Reasons Haiti is in Poverty ......................................................................................... 4

How to Stop Poverty…………………………………………………………………...….5

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………...……6

References ........................................................................................................................... 7
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Poverty in Haiti

Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the word. In this paper, we will analyze what the

effects of poverty are on Haiti. Poverty affects a country in many different negative ways. We

will also review the reasons why Haiti has reached such an extreme level of poverty. Finally, we

will learn how to, not stoop but reduce poverty in Haiti and in other countries that have been

going through the same difficult situations. Taking action against poverty will help reduce it not

only in poor countries, but also worldwide.

Literary Review

Currently, Haiti is the poorest county in the western Hemisphere, with 59% of the

population living below the national poverty line ($2.41 per day) and 24% living below the

national extreme poverty line ($1.23 per day). (Overview, 2018) Its per capita income is $250,

which is less than one-tenth of the Latin American average. (The World Bank, 2016) Poverty is

affecting millions of people in many ways. Haiti citizens are affected heath-wise, economically

and through education. These consequences of poverty come mainly because of political

instability, corruption in the government and underinvestment in human capital. Natural hazards

are also causing Haiti to fall more into poverty. Even though it is impossible to completely

extinguish poverty, there are many ways to reduce it. Controlling the government and stopping

corruption is one important action that need to happen to reduce poverty in Haiti. An

improvement in education and a fair income distribution is also necessary for poverty to

decrease. Haiti is suffering from severe poverty, but with actions and sacrifices the country can

progress.
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Effects of Poverty on Haiti1

Poverty is affecting Haiti in more ways than anyone can imagine. First of all, people

don’t have purified or clean water. Only half of the population can rely on and have access to

improved and cleaner water. The other half of the population depend on lake, river, water. (The

Borgen Project, 2018) This may lead to diseases in the community, which will not be cured

immediately due to the lack of resources for medication. Another way poverty is affecting Haiti

is the lack of education. Fifty percent of the children in Haiti go to school and only thirty percent

of those finish only up to 5th grade. (The Borgen Project, 2018) About 10% of children repeat

and 2-6 drop out of the primary grade. (Adelman, M. Et al.,2015) Students who finish school are

counted. The lack of education makes a great majority of the population in Haiti illiterate, which

makes it harder for Haiti to leave her state of poverty. Poverty is also making many children

homeless. Many children and families live on the streets and are unable to afford a decent home.

Poverty is having all these effects on Haiti. These will keep the country from having any

economical advances they are looking for.

Reasons Haiti is in Poverty

Such an extreme poverty like the one in Haiti has to have some reason behind it. There

are many reasons why poverty is immense in Haiti. Corruption and political instability are one of

them. Haiti has been unstable when talking about politics. Several public funds have been wasted

and stolen from the people. A corrupted government will not lead Haiti out of misery, but on the

contrary: it will leave them right where they are or even worse. Underinvestment in human

capital and the poor use of money affects Haiti’s economy. More than two thirds of the country

live in the rural areas, where only 20% of the human resources are being used. Another factor
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that has increased the poverty in Haiti is natural disasters. Haiti, being a very vulnerable country,

receives many natural disasters. In 2010, the country suffered one of the strongest earthquakes

since 1970, which increased poverty immensely because of the lack of caution and preparation

for a catastrophe of that level. (World Bank, 2016)

How to Stop Poverty

There will always be poor people in Haiti and in every part of the world. It is impossible

to get completely rid of poverty but there are various ways of reducing it. First of all, a clean-up

in the government will be necessary. A reestablishment in political stability and strengthening

public sector institutions would help reduce poverty. The government should focus on

maintaining public order and economic stability, securing property rights, building a regulatory

role for some sectors, and designing a framework to help increase provision of primary health

and education services and for investment in and maintenance of infrastructure. The government

has to control that the spending does go to the country and helps, instead of it being robbed by a

corrupt official. By controlling the money, the government has to buying only necessary things,

the country will increase economically. Another critical factor for decreasing poverty would be

education. For the country to persevere, people and citizens should at least finish high school.

Ignorance is a big factor of poverty. Without a proper education, Haiti will not leave the poverty

cycle. Thus, besides the pervasive nature of poverty, income distribution also emerges as a

potential stumbling block to growth prospects and should be of high concern for policy makers,

let alone be part of a global policy to tackle the poverty scourge. (Jadotte, E., 2007) Many other

ways exist to try to reduce poverty. Getting engaged in the poor society and personally helping
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will make a difference. Also, providing social services and creating jobs will slowly help Haiti

get out of the misery they currently are in.

Haiti has severe poverty and has had it for many years and it has been affecting its

citizens severely. Health, economic, and educational issues are flooding citizens. These happen

because of many factors including political instability, corruption, poor money use in the

government, and natural hazards. Many of these factors can be prevented but some, like the

natural hazards, can’t. To reduce poverty, Haiti can first change its government and stop

corruption. Also, education need improvement, and fair income distribution need to be implied.

Following these improvements and taking actions will help Haiti come out of the ashes of

poverty and progress.

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References

The Borgen Project. (2018) 5 Shocking Facts about Poverty in Haiti. (2018, February
27). Retrieved November 5, 2018, from https://borgenproject.org/top-five-facts-about-poverty-
in-haiti/

Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2018, from

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/haiti/overview

The Word Bank. (2016) Haiti: The Challenges of Poverty Reduction. (n.d.). Retrieved
November 5, 2018, from
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTPOVERTY/EXTPA/0,,contentM
DK:20207590~menuPK:435735~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:430367,00.html

Adelman, M., Baron, J. D., Blimpo, M., Evans, D. K., Simbou, A., Yarrow, N., & Bank,
W. (2015). Why do students learn so little? seeking answers inside Haiti’s classrooms. World
Bank.

Echevin, D. (2014). Characterizing vulnerability to poverty in rural Haiti: A multilevel

decomposition approach. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 65(1), 131-151.

Frankema, E., & Mase, A. (2014). An island drifting apart: Why Haiti is mired in poverty
while the Dominican Republic forges ahead. Journal of International Development, 26(1), 128-
148.

Jadotte, E. (2007). Characterization of inequality and poverty in the republic of Haiti.

Estudios Sociales, Vol 15, Iss 29, Pp 8-56 (2007), (29), 8.

Noelliste, D. (2010). Poverty and the gospel: The case of Haiti. Evangelical Review of
Theology, 34(4), 313-318.

Robert, F.,Jr. (2012). Poverty in Haiti: Essays on underdevelopment and post disaster
prospects mats lundahl. NWIG: New West Indian Guide / Nieuwe West-Indische Gids, (3), 394.