As we are moving forward in our adoption process, but have no new news to report I began doing some research on Haiti to find out more about the country my little girl is coming from and more about their orphan population. I have never been burdened before for Haiti and I woke up in the middle of the night with a heavy heart for this country that I know very little about. I began to pray and ask the Lord show me what He wanted me to share in this post and He just impressed upon my heart to share about the need for forever families and to be a beacon of light and an advocate for this poor nation. So here is what I have to share with you today:
Facts About Haiti and its Orphan Population
Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Despite living in material poverty, the people of Haiti have an enormous amount of endurance, hope and dignity, as well as deep spiritual faith, but they need help in this fight against extreme poverty. The following statistics indicate the severity of Haiti’s problem:
• The government is not able to provide the resources to educate the nation's next
generation.
• The unemployment rate is over 80%.
• More than half of Haitians live on less than a dollar a day
• There are few paved roads, an inadequate supply of potable water, minimal
utilities, and depleted forests.
• About 60% of the population lives in abject poverty.
• Less than 20% of Haitians age 15 and over can read and write.
• Fewer than 75% of children attend school.
• Unicef estimated in 2007(most current I could find) that there are over 400,00
orphans in Haiti.
• 40% of the Haitian population does not have access to primary health care.
• The United Nations estimates 6% of Haitians are infected with HIV/AIDS. The
highest rate in the Western Hemisphere. An estimated 30,000 people die of AIDS
every year.
• One in twenty Haitians is infected with HIV/AIDS and there are over 150,000
AIDS orphans.
In recent years, the number of children forced to live on the street has grown exponentially. The realities of large families with low or no income have forced mothers and fathers to abandon their children. Children are malnourished and are desperate for food and medical care. Most impoverished families cannot afford to send their children to school. HIV/AIDS is at epidemic proportions in Haiti. As a result, the disease and the recent earthquake have left many children orphaned.
Maybe you will choose to help our orphanage or maybe you can help bring down the number or maybe you are called to contribute to our adoption fund – JUST CHOOSE!
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