[Link to PDF]

The poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti is often ignored (unless its citizens land on U.S. shores) and depicted as a hopeless basket case, overlooking the vitality of its people who have had to endure the wrath of powerful nations for being the first slave colony to throw out its masters over 200 years ago.  Haiti’s economy is largely controlled by a few rich families with close links to power in the U.S..  Enlightened partners like Paul Farmer and, more recently, private citizen Bill Clinton give some hope that Haiti’s economy will become more self sufficient and its people attain the economic freedom they have been denied.