{on haiti}

{on soil}

1. Haiti is the first black republic, and the revolution of 1804 led the way for the liberation of slaves throughout the New World

2. After winning their independence from France Haiti was forced to pay 93 million francs in restitution (the equivalent of 21.7 billion in today's currency)

3. To pay the debt all of the public school were closed and over 50% of Haiti's forests were shipped across the ocean to build Paris.

4. Over 100 years later the debt was finally paid off but Haiti had already fallen into a cycle of debt, having taken out other loans to balance their debt to France.

5. For the past century, millions of dollars per year have gone towards servicing interest on foreign loans instead of providing services to the population.

6. Today, Haiti is the most impoverished nation in the western Hemisphere, with over 60% unemployment and the majority of the population forced to survive on less than $1 per day.

7. The landscape is severely deforested with only 1% of intact forest remaining.

8. The majority of the population do not have access to either sanitation or clean water (only 16% of the rural population have access to a toilet).

9. Agricultural production has dropped 20% in the past 10 years and rice imports have skyrocketed, making Haiti especially vulnerable to shifts in the international market.

10. Infant mortality in Haiti is higher than any other country in the Western Hemisphere, and preventable illness caused by water borne bacteria is the leading cause of death in children under 5.

In the past 2 years SOIL has:

1. Developed a strong network of trust with grassroots community organizers and academics both in Haiti and abroad.

2. Built an organization from the ground up with the support of friends and colleagues throughout the world.

3. Supported the development of 3 independent technology centers where local staff and volunteers brainstorm, develop, promote, and evaluate creative solutions to local problems.

4. Built 57 public composting toilets in communities throughout Haiti that serve approximately 5000 people. These toilets will protect public health and provide valuable fertilizer for reforestation and agricultural production.

5. Coordinated empowerment programs for children in over 20 communities. Programs include a garbage transformation contest and photo empowerment project, where children use digital photography to show what they like and dislike in their communities.

6. Held educational workshops on ecological sanitation in each community in which we have built a toilet.

7. Created a sustainable waste treatment system and rooftop garden in our home that serves as a model for other household projects.

8. Opened our home and office to community organizers, street children and visiting students from the US to create an atmosphere of open dialog and action.

9. Helped to develop a bridge of understanding between academics and activists from the US and communities in Haiti, a key factor in healing the historical wounds of colonialism and slavery that continue to impact the majority of Haitians who are living in isolated poverty and are too often misrepresented by the media.

Help us change the image of Haiti by getting informed about the root causes of poverty in Haiti. Please visit SOIL's website at www.oursoil.org and help support their work through the purchase of a Diyite necklace. You have a chance to present the beauty of Haiti by proudly wearing these necklaces. One, straight from the Haitian women who live at the base of the Citadel in Milot, the 8th wonder of the world; the other handcrafted by an inspired designer in New York City, a version composed of fine materials and representing awareness and action.

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