Why Haiti?

Haiti, our Caribbean neighbor, has the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in the Western Hemisphere. An estimated 2.2% of the population is living with HIV/AIDS, including around 6,800 children. ARV medications are still only available in the major cities, which makes getting access difficult for many people. Additionally, political instability, crippling poverty and a series of natural disasters have contributed to a lack of good infrastructure and social services to facilitate care of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Source: UNAIDS 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic. July 2008.

Haiti at a Glance

Haiti is a country with a proud history. In 1804, slaves who had been brought over from Africa overthrew their French colonizers and became the first free black republic in the world. Only an hour and a half off the coast of Florida, Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. In economic terms, it is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. There are nearly 9 million people living in Haiti and the official languages spoken are Creole and French. Haiti has a rich culture of music, dance and art with strong West African influences.