A 7.0 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti, leaving over 150,000 dead and two million homeless. The international community immediately poured in millions of dollars of resources and supplies, desperately trying to save lives and salvage what remained.
As Haiti starts rebuilding, they will see that remarkable potential lies beyond the widespread destruction. In the few weeks since the quake, Haiti has experienced an accelerated adoption process, an amazing amount of international attention and stands in the perfect position for substantial government restructuring. Even in the midst of this horrific event, Haiti has much to be hopeful for.
I volunteered at a Haitian orphanage last September, where I learned about the thorny issue of international adoption. Adopting a Haitian orphan is a massive bureaucratic headache, with the documents often getting lost or neglected inside of Haiti’s infamously corrupt government. So while foreign adoptions in Haiti have doubled between 2002 and 2006 to 1,400 a year, many are deterred by the lengthy waiting period. The average adoption to the U.S. takes an astounding 18 to 24 months, and I met many kids who have been waiting over three years. This prolonged limbo stage weighs on a child.
After the earthquake, the U.S. waived its visa requirement for Haitians already on their path to adoption, and thus 497 orphans have already come to our country, according to the State Department. But 1,200 pending cases remain.
In response, Senator Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana) and other public officials are pushing for the creation of a separate office in the State Department to handle international adoption issues.
They aim for a more streamlined approach to match Haitian orphans with adoptive families. So not only are a record number of Haitian orphans finally coming home, but there is also a movement toward a more efficient international adoption process.
More immediately, the earthquake completely annihilated Haiti’s already struggling infrastructure. The National Palace, Haiti’s Parliament, the Notre Dame Cathedral of Port-au-Prince and countless schools, hotels, churches and homes remain in shambles.
The day of the quake, Haitian officials organized a meeting of the country’s most prominent architects, engineers and urban planners to discuss Haiti’s future, and they have met every day since.
But these elites don’t just discuss structures.
“We don’t want to talk about rebuilding,” said the leader of the group, industrial engineer Jean-Marie Raymond Noel. “We want to talk about a new project, a new vision. … We can’t hope to be in the same situation as before the quake. It was not good.”
Standing on the edge of a potential national rebirth, these officials are well-positioned to implement lasting improvements to the country. Luckily for them, it’s not hard to imagine a better Haiti.
The country was named the world’s most corrupt in 2006 by Transparency International, a Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog. In their survey of the businesspeople, academics and risk analysts, Haiti is said to be run by the most dishonest people. The fact that Haiti clipped Iraq, Sudan and Bangladesh (which topped the list 2001-2005) gauges the gravity of the enduring problems that Haitians have struggled with for years. In nearly every avenue of public service, the Haitian government has much work to do. But little progress can be made without adequate funding, and that is why Haiti looks to the unprecedented amount of international attention it is currently receiving.
Since becoming an international sensation of debris and death, Haiti has received a remarkable amount of foreign assistance. Beyond the millions of bottles of water and tons of health supplies, many countries have pledged millions to prolonged contributions. Haitian officials are hoping the world will rally around them and lend sustained financial and practical support to rise above their ubiquitous standard of poverty. The country needs long-term investments in all crucial sectors, including education, health and government. A practical, thoughtful long-term recovery plan, possibly one devised by the aforementioned group, would have to rely on foreign aid.
This outside support rides on the premise that the world doesn’t soon forget Haiti’s indescribable current situation and their long-term need for serious help. With “Help Haiti” TV marathons capturing daily headlines, one can only hope that the world won’t move on once Haiti no longer shows up on our screens. It’s not difficult to imagine this quake serving as a turning point in Haiti’s history, and I can only pray that this idea comes to fruition. The 7.0 earthquake was an unspeakable tragedy that ravaged the burdened nation of Haiti. But as tragedies have proven again and again, great opportunity lies in disaster.
If you’re hopeful about the future of Haiti in the midst of this tragedy, e-mail Pearring at spearring@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.