Part of a special journal issue dedicated to strategies for societal renewal in Haiti., Fonkoze, "the bank the poor can call their own," is a bank that provides more than just loans. It also sees access to reasonably priced savings, remittance transfer, and currency conversion as a right of even the poorest. This article tells the story of how -- after the devastation of the 2010 earthquake -- Fonkoze found itself positioned to serve Haiti's rural population before other banks were back on their feet.
This article analyzes the role of Haitian migration and Haitian transnational engagement in the past 20 years. Shows that dependency on Haitian migrants' economic flows into their country has historically not been met by public policy leveraging these flows and that under the current economic recovery period, opportunistic views aside, it is unrealistic to expect a strategy drastically different from that of the pre-earthquake period.
When Mr. [Jean Berard] died of pleurisy, "Toussaint discreetly supported his widow. He even postponed his own wedding until Madame Berard's death. Although themselves childless, [Pierre Toussaint] and Juliette (a slave whom Pierre freed) Toussaint went on to co-found one of New York City's first orphanages. During an epidemic of yellow fever, while thousands fled the city, the Toussaints stayed behind to nurse the sick. He and his wife donated funds for New York's first Catholic school for blacks." Did you also know that these Haitians send almost $1 billion back to their families in Haiti every year. This amount makes up about 15 percent of Haiti's GNP. This goes a long way to help the balance of payment and foreign currency. This amount is also close to double Haiti's total exports and almost double the international assistance Haiti receives.
"The change in government is not really a good change for Haiti now," said Roslindale resident Rosemond Cineus. "We have to follow the constitution. This president was elected for five years." "I always sent money, food and clothes," said Jean, whose aunts and uncles live in Port au Prince and Gonaives. "[Since the rebellion] we have to send more money, because everything is more expensive. They're hopeful things will get better, but it's worse in terms of jobs and food is scarce." "We didn't expect [foreign troops]," said [Jacques Victor]. "We wish that in the long run we can have our own troops in there directing them, but for now we work with them."
Examines the impact of remittances on the schooling of children in various Haitian communities with a high incidence of out-migration. In some communities remittances raise school attendance for all children regardless of whether they have household members abroad. In other communities this effect is observed only among children living in households that do not experience any family out-migration.
During the summer of 2009 a survey was conducted of 1,800 households in metropolitan Port-au-Prince. Six weeks after the earthquake, an attempt was made re-interview these households. The questionnaire examined mortality and injuries generated by the natural disaster, as well as the character of victimization, food security and living arrangements following the quake.
