Haiti’s Aid Failure: The Impact of Foreign Aid and NGOs

Extreme Poverty in Haiti:

Before the cataclysmic 2010 earthquake shattered the fragile country of Haiti, extreme poverty was already a significant issue. It’s important to take this into account, when considering the overall impact of the earthquake, and the failed NGO efforts that came after this natural disaster. Long before the 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti was already suffering. Extremely low wages (less than $2 per day), illiteracy (39% of Haitians), and poorly constructed buildings were some of the many issues that plagued this delicate country. Haiti was extremely poor; it was ranked as 149 out of the 182 countries in the UN Human Development Index (McMahon, 2020).

Interestingly enough, it was as if it took the truly calamitous event of the earthquake, and the tragic loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, for the Western world to finally realize that Haiti was in dire straits. Relief efforts were drastically ramped up after Port-au-Prince experienced the direct effects of the earthquake. Governments pledged roughly $5.3 billion to aid in Haiti’s rehabilitation. Aid poured into the country, as thousands of NGOs immediately responded to the incalculable damage of the earthquake (McMahon, 2020).

But in the long-term, how successful was the assistance of foreign aid in Haiti? This topic will be further explored, after delving into the massive impact of the earthquake itself.

The Earthquake Strikes:

The earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010 was truly devastating in its impact. The catastrophic 7.0-magnitude quake destroyed multiple hospitals in the capital, as well as the airport and seaport of Port-au-Prince. Numerous other facets of Haiti’s infrastructure were severely damaged, including the country’s telecom services, around 300,000 buildings and the major roads. In comparison to the crumbled infrastructure, the number of lives lost to the earthquake was even more tragic and horrific. It was approximated by the Haitian government that 316,000 lives were lost, in addition to the displacement of nearly 1 million Haitians (Onion, 2011).

The capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, experienced some of the worst effects of the earthquake. The earthquake completely crushed the capital of a country that was already one of the poorest in the world. Port-au-Prince’s electricity was knocked out, surrounding telephone lines went down, and rubble obstructed the streets. Fires burned near the Haitian capital’s shoreline, and the United Nations mission headquarters were significantly impacted. The quake itself originated 10 miles southwest of the Haitian capital, and was so strong that it was felt in the Dominican Republic (Romero, 2010).

An Immediate NGO Response:

Shortly after the earthquake struck Haiti, thousands of NGOs quickly responded. These NGOs did a solid job of assisting the people of Haiti, as they struggled with a crumbled infrastructure, significant displacement, and a tragic death toll. Makeshift camps were quickly erected, allowing for the distribution of immediate needs, including food, medical care and other supplies. As a direct result of the immediate NGO response, numerous Haitian lives were saved. These short-term efforts were quite effective, in providing solid aid to the hurting people of Haiti. But it was ultimately the long-term NGO response that failed (McMahon, 2020).

Earthquake Media Coverage:

In terms of the media coverage which took place during the earthquake, social media and citizen journalism both played quite a key role. International news agencies covering the event utilized information from social media. This was mainly due to the fact that it was easier to use online footage, than to actually send journalists into the field (which did occur, to some extent) (Kennedy, 2010). “So when a major earthquake hit western Haiti yesterday, it was no surprise that news organizations, large and small, tapped into Haiti’s online community in order to provide them with the on-the-ground eyes and ears they did not have,” (Kennedy, 2010). As an example of the use of citizen journalism, The New York Times established a Twitter list, which included news updates about the situation unfolding in Haiti. National Public Radio also created a news Twitter list (Kennedy, 2010).

Additionally, it’s important to consider the media’s role in drawing attention to the Haitian crisis. Before the devastating earthquake in 2010, the Western world paid much less attention to this country. The media was absolutely key in creating the outpouring of relief which occurred in Haiti (Palermo, 2011). This is similar to the idea of the “CNN Effect,” which we discussed in class. “Publicizing the catastrophe has generated tens of millions of dollars in relief donations. That’s a good thing. But why were Haiti’s long-suffering people deemed so un-newsworthy before the quake?” (Palermo, 2011).

Long-Term NGO and Foreign Aid Failures:

The long-term failure of foreign aid in Haiti can be easily witnessed today. By this point, with the U.S. Congress’s approval of $1.6 billion for emergency humanitarian relief, in conjunction with $1.14 billion for recovery, Haiti should have seen at least some improvements in its infrastructure. With relief funds as large as these, it would seem that serious improvements should have already come to the people of Haiti. But this isn’t the case (MacDonald, 2020). “Relatively little of the housing that was destroyed in hard-hit areas like Port-au-Prince has been rebuilt. More than 34,000 Haitians who lost their homes still live in displacement camps, and more than 300,000 Haitians have migrated to new slums just north of the capital that lack healthcare services and potable water. Many Haitian families have even less access to food,” (MacDonald, 2020). It quickly becomes clear that the aid money hasn’t been directly funneled to the people of Haiti. Considering the massive relief efforts that have taken place over the last ten years, the people of Haiti shouldn’t be suffering as much as they are now.

Humanitarian aid totaled nearly $13.3. billion. Surprisingly, a decade after the earthquake, the impact of this aid isn’t necessarily striking, as Haiti continues to struggle in varying ways. This poverty-stricken country still hasn’t experienced significant recovery, and in some sense, could be a long way off from full rehabilitation. Political dysfunction and a ruined economy have both pulled the country downward in recent years (Charles, 2021). “Ten years later, Haiti remains a long way from recovery, mired in political conflict that has bankrupt businesses, soured the economy, and dampened the enthusiasm of foreign donors who once rushed to help with its reconstruction,” (Charles, 2021).

One of the failures of long-term aid in Haiti is that it has created a culture of dependency. As a direct result of the intense outpouring of relief, from both governments and NGOs, Haiti has become very dependent on foreign aid. This isn’t necessarily a good thing, as it has actually weakened the Haitian government (Bennett-Jones, 2015). “Critics of the aid programs - including those run by the Clintons - argue that a culture of aid dependency has developed in Haiti and that government systems in the country are weak in part because international aid staff are performing functions that should be carried out by local officials,” (Bennett-Jones, 2015). Some other failures of long-term aid in Haiti include numerous aid employees who don’t speak Creole or French, donations being directed to NGO overhead costs instead of actual relief, and projects that have been poorly managed (Bennett-Jones, 2015).

During the relief efforts, the way in which Haitians were treated was particularly distasteful. Instead of being cared for as individuals, and as human beings, they were sometimes treated like children by NGOs and aid agencies. This demeaning occurrence, while sad to consider, illustrates a certain lack of compassion among humanitarian workers. The perspectives of the locals were minimized by particular organizations, not always allowing Haitians to be heard (Schuller, 2017). “People across the spectrum in Haiti detail how they were treated ‘like animals’ or even ‘worse than dogs.’ Llionor Louis distilled an infantilization: aid agencies treated recipients like children, spending millions educating people how to wash their hands even as UN troops brought cholera to Haiti,” (Schuller, 2017).

Haiti in 2020 / 2021:

In many ways, Haiti is still significantly suffering, even after all of the relief efforts propagated by the earthquake. In terms of politics, the country is currently experiencing serious dysfunction, as an impending political crisis shakes its core. The current president of Haiti has over exerted his political power, and the parliaments have done little to keep him in line. On top of this, COVID-19 has exacerbated the country’s already severe humanitarian crisis. Large protests against the government have been taking place throughout the country (O’Brien, 2021). “In response to the mass protests demanding justice and safety in communities across Haiti, President Moise has issued unconstitutional executive decrees criminalizing protests against the governments with 30- to 50-year jail sentences,” (O’Brien, 2021).

Additionally, and most importantly, the effects of the earthquake are still felt, 10 years later, after relief efforts failed to bring significant change. Years after the earthquake shattered Port-au-Prince, the economy and infrastructure continue to be severely damaged. A few humanitarian areas of relief have brought improvements, particularly in Haiti’s medical system, and a drop in the number of Cholera cases. Drastic inflation has also occurred, making it difficult for Haitians to pay for basic needs (Hu, 2020). For the most part things aren’t looking good for Haiti. “In his Saturday statement, Moise rebuked the rest of the world for failing to follow through on its promises. ‘The initial flurry of attention received from the international community quickly quieted down, with many of the financial pledges not delivered — causing devastating consequences for our recovery,’ he said,” (Hu, 2020).

As of 2020, Haiti isn’t significantly better off. This fragile country is currently battling a number of issues, ranging from protests to rapidly rising inflation. The country in many ways is in a worse condition than it was previously. This is sad to consider, especially when taking into account the large relief efforts which have occurred throughout the country. The fact that Haiti continues to suffer so much strongly illustrates the failure of foreign aid and relief. “As the country finds itself in the throes of a fluctuating political, economic and social crisis, the capital city has been virtually paralyzed, with schools, businesses, and banks closed for days, if not weeks at a time. This was not the Haiti anyone had hoped for 10 years after the disaster,” (Andre, 2020).

Works Cited:

Charles, J. (2021, February 10). 'Things have Gotten worse': Weary Haitians approach a Somber anniversary. Retrieved February 28, 2021, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/things-gotten-worse-haiti-approaches-somber-anniversary#close.

Onion, A., Sullivan, M., & Mullen, M. (2011, July 18). Massive Earthquake Strikes Haiti. Retrieved February 28, 2021, from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/massive-earthquake-strikes-haiti.

Bennett-Jones, O. (2015, August 07). Has the international community failed Haiti? Retrieved February 28, 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-33802203.

MacDonald, I. (2020, January 12). 10 Years Ago, We Pledged To Help Haiti Rebuild. Then What Happened? Retrieved February 28, 2021, from https://inthesetimes.com/features/haiti_earthquake_recovery_us_aid_anniversay_military_waste.html.

Schuller, M. (2017, December 07). Humanitarian Aftershocks in Haiti. Retrieved February 28, 2021, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/humanitarian-aftershocks-_b_8996794.

McMahon, J. (2020, December 05). Lessons From Ineffective NGOs in Haiti. Retrieved February 28, 2021, from https://www.borgenmagazine.com/ngos-in-haiti/.

Romero, S., & Lacey, M. (2010, January 12). Fierce Quake Devastates Haitian Capital. Retrieved February 28, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/world/americas/13haiti.html.

O'Brien, G. (2021, February 12). Beyond earthquake headlines: Political crisis in Haiti. Retrieved February 28, 2021, from https://theglobalamericans.org/2021/02/beyond-earthquake-headlines-political-crisis-in-haiti/.

Hu, C. (2020, January 13). Ten years after a devastating earthquake, some Haitians say they're losing hope. Retrieved March 01, 2021, from https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/12/world/haiti-earthquake-ten-years-anniversary-intl/index.html.

Andre, V. (2020, January 07). Haiti Since The Earthquake: A Decade Of Empty Promises. Retrieved March 01, 2021, from https://haitiantimes.com/2020/01/02/haiti-since-the-earthquake-a-decade-of-empty-promises/.

Kennedy, D. (2010, January 13). Citizen media and the earthquake in Haiti. Retrieved March 01, 2021, from https://dankennedy.net/2010/01/13/citizen-media-and-the-earthquake-in-haiti/.

Palermo, J. A. (2011, May 25). Media Coverage of Haitian Earthquake Can't Go There. Retrieved March 01, 2021, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/media-coverage-of-haitian_b_427006.