In this Caribbean island nation, a child dies of hunger every hour.
In the northern regions, where there is little or no agricultural production, this figure rises to 29 deaths a day, out of a total population of slightly over a million
Outside aid is of utmost importance to keep many Haitian people alive. Agencies from the United States and Taiwan are are helping this country and more help is still needed.
In one of the largest districts in Port of Prince, Delmas, Encompass is coming alongside the mayor and local churches to provide meals to many of the poorest people in this region.
While teaching and bringing aid to Haiti, we were shown the desperate need of the people. Knowing that doing nothing is not an option, we came back to the states and with the help of Encompass Haiti director, JB Victor, we were able to start a feeding program to help in one of the small areas.
Encompass is providing provisions for desperately needy families. There are so many to feed and we need your help to do it.
If you want to help in this program or any other outreaches of Encompass, please go to the donate page to give your gift.
$40 provides rice, oil, salt, beans, and flour for a month. This keeps one person fed, and you can have your latte too!
•Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 64 percent of the population living under the national poverty level.
•Two of the leading causes of death for infants and children were diarrhea disease and malnutrition. •Haiti produces only 50 percent of of the food consumed there.
•Just over 50 percent of Haitians have access to drinking water and sewage services, and roughly the same percentage suffer from malnutrition.
•In some regions of Haiti, 47 percent of children lack proper nutrition, and many suffer physical and mental problems as a consequence.
•Given the current state of the agricultural sector, International food aid is crucial, particularly in this nation where the average annual income is $400 and the lack of clean drinking water results n frequent outbreaks of diseases like diarrhea, dysentery, and typhoid.
The Haitian crisis is so extreme it forces people to eat (non-food) mud cookies (called "pica") to relieve their hunger. It's a desperate Haitian remedy made from dried yellow dirt from the country's central plateau for those who can afford it. It's not free.
In city Soleil's crowded slums, people use a combination of dirt, salt, and vegetable shortening for a typical meal when it's all they can afford. A Port-au-Prince AP reporter sampled. He said it had a smooth consistency (butt) sucked all the moisture out of his mouth as soon as it touched his tounge.
For hours afterwards, an unpleasant taste of dirt lingered. Worse is how it harms human health. A mud cookie diet causes malnutrition, intestinal distress, and other deleterious effects from potentially deadly toxins and parasites. Another problem is the cost. This stomach-filler isn't free. Haitians have to buy it, and "edible clay" prices are rising-by almost $1.50 in the past year. It now costs about $5.00 to make 100 cookies (about 5 cents each), it's cheaper than food, but many Haitians can't afford it.
--80% of Haitians are impoverished in the western hemisphere's poorest country and one of the world's poorest;
--Unemployment is rampant, and two-thirds or more of workers have only sporadic jobs.
--Those with jobs earn 11 to 12 cents an hour; the country's official minimum wage $1.80 a day, but figures show 55% of employed Haitian receive only 44 cents daily, an impossible amount to live on.
Peace Of MY Mind | Children | Missionaries | Feeding Program | Teachings
