Twenty-five miles west of Haiti's bustling capital city, Port-au-Prince, resides the once quaint and quiet city of Leogane.
Leogane was once heralded for its colonel architecture and cobblestone streets. However, all this changed last January as the city became the epicenter of the massive 7.0 earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands throughout the country. In Leogane, there were between 5,000 and 6,000 casualties.
As is the case in most Haitian cities, public spaces in Leogane have been transformed into tent camps for the displaced. One of which is a soccer stadium where families reside, because they have been unable to rebuild homes due to a lack of money and proper equipment.
Aid is flowing into the tiny city, says its mayor Santos Alexis. However, he says it doesn't help too much with the problems they are facing--such as mass displacement of the city's residents from their homes. Much of Leogane remains in ruins as rubble is still strewn along in the streets. In Port-au-Prince only 5 percent has been removed. The international community pledged some $6 billion for Haiti's rebuilding, but only part of that was targeted to 2010.
Haiti, which is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, prides its reconstruction efforts with the mantra to "build back better". And glimmers of hope persevere one year after the earthquake. In Leogane, temporary shelters are starting to replace tarps and tents, thus allowing those who have land to move back. Baby steps toward recovery, but steps nonetheless, for a country with aspirations to build back better.
Quotes
"People are starting to get angry, because they see the news and they hear the news on the radio, and they know how many billions of dollars have been given here and spent there, but their day-to-day situation is just getting worse and worse." --Saint-Hubert Emerson, teacher in Leogane
"I'm not satisfied. Earthquake happened one year ago. It looks like it happened three months ago." --Santos Alexis, mayor of Leogane
"The USAID was very helpful. But, it's not enough for them to help with the kind of problems that we are still seeing here." --Santos Alexis
Warm Up Questions
1. What is an earthquake?
2. What threats do earthquakes pose to towns and cities?
3. Why was Haiti especially vulnerable in this earthquake?
4. How might an earthquake affect a poor country compared to a rich country?
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think Haiti choose the mantra ‘build back better’?
2. Why do you think it might be difficult for Haitians to rebuild their country the "right way" with reinforcements to prevent building collapses?
3. Do you suppose aid money is going toward the wrong activities in Haiti? How can charities keep track of money so that cities and towns are able to use it to their benefit?
Additional Resources
After Haiti Quake, Using Science to Build Sturdier Buildings
In Haiti, Writer Kwame Dawes Tells of Quake Aftermath Through Poetry
