Explore Haiti
Haiti at a Glance
Geography
Haiti shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic and is prone to natural disasters such as hurricanes and mudslides.
History Highlights
Haiti has a long history of colonization and dictatorship. Haiti is the first black led republic in the world after gaining independence from a successful slave revolution in 1804. The country was ruled from 1956 to 1986 by the self-declared "president for life," Francoise "Papa Doc" Duvalier, and then his son, Jean- Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier.
Post-earthquake Challenges
A year has passed since the devastating earthquake hit Haiti on January 12, 2010 – killing more than 200,000 and displacing 1.5 million people. Since then, Plan programs have been helping children and families to rebuild their lives.
Thanks to our donors, in the last year Plan has:
- Provided 39,000 people with tents and aid in the direct aftermath of the earthquake
- Helped 30,000 children return to school
- Supported 27,000 patients in mobile clinics, backed with a $13 million drug donation
- Vaccinated over 31,000 children against diseases
- Provided work for 28,000 people through cash-for-work programs
- Reached 100,000 people through cholera prevention and awareness campaigns.
Next steps in Haiti
With more than one million people made homeless by the disaster, change is slow but it is happening. Plan Canada CEO Rosemary McCarney said: "It will be an extremely difficult, long and sometimes frustrating journey. We will be led by Haitians who know better than anyone that it is one step at a time. Our job is to have the patience and long-term commitment to support them along the way, and continue celebrating each small step forward.
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