Haiti Struggles To Rebuild One Year Later
PORT AU PRINCE (CBS4) - A year ago this week a powerful magnitude seven earthquake plunged Haiti into chaos. More than 230-thousand died and millions were left homeless. While devastation still surrounds the capital city, Haitians are starting to rebuild in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince.
A stone's throw from the ruins of the Presidential Palace, thousands of Haitians crowd into tent cities. It's a picture of despair, but it's only part of the picture.
On a hillside 20 mils north of Port au Prince, Haitians are laying down the roots of a new community called Canaan. Marie Manuscar, a nurse, says she can hardly wait until the new Canaan Health Clinic is finished. The clinic is being financed by her and her church and not the government.
"Because the people have health problems and nobody helps them," said Manuscar.
Manuscar lives in Port au Prince and commutes to work in the camp.
"People lost relatives, they lost everything. The earthquake hit Haitian people hard and they need help," said Manucar.
Haitian volunteers have also worked with a Chilean-based non-profit to build hundreds of homes in Canaan Village. The group hopes to marks Wednesday anniversary by having one thousand homes completed.
Much of the world came to Haiti's aid a year ago, saving countless lives and promising to do much more. But 12 months later most of the promises remain unfulfilled, reconstruction is barely underway and more than a million people are still homeless as the effort to rebuild from the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake succumbed to a lack of organization and the introduction of new crises including political tumult and a deadly cholera epidemic.
Now many people are saying that the health clinic and similar construction projects are good examples of what may be the solution as the desperate nation tries to rebuild.
