What Do I Know About Haiti?

Haiti Means "Mountainous Country" and the term is derived from the language of the Taino Indians. The Republic of Haiti is located in the Caribbean basin which geographically, is part of North America. The capital city is Port-Au-Prince.

As of January 2017 the current population of Haiti stands at 10,485,800 people and it is classified as the poorest yet most densely populated country in the western hemisphere.

The culture is a eclectic mix of African and European elements due to the French colonisation of Haiti, as is evident in their language, music and religion.

Haiti is the only country in the world with Voodoo as its official religion.

Education in Haiti begins at pre-school which is followed by 9 years of Fundamental Education (first, second and third cycles). Elementary education is compulsory for children between 6-11 years. Secondary education comprises of 4 years of schooling.

Statistics show that less than 20% of Haitians aged 25 and over can read and write.

The more I read, the lower I sink into my chair. I find these facts unbelievable and incredibly confronting. I haven't addressed the impact of numerous earthquakes on the country as of yet and I am already feeling inadequate about my ability to bring about any transformation!