Machann nan lari Kwabosal

Nan lari Kwabosal ou jwenn tout kalite bagay, tankou rad, pwovisyon alimantè, etc. Kote tout moun ap viv pilsoupil, moun ap manje menm kote ak fatra, men se li menm ki pi gwo mache nan vil Pòtoprens.

..................................

Market Women on the street of Croix des Beau Sales
On the streets of Croix des Beau Sales, you can find practically anything - clothing, produce, etc. People live piled one on top of the other, eat alongside garbage, and yet it is the biggest market in Port-au-Prince.

Ratifikasyon Premyè Minis deziye a Dr Garry Conille

Sa fè anviwon 4 mwa depi Prezidan Martelly monte sou pouvwa, depi tan sa peyi a poko ka gen yon chèf gouvenman. An Ayiti, fason yo gouvène, se yon prezidan ak yon premyè minis ki nomen pa prezidan e ki ratifye pa de chanm yo ki se chanm depite a ak sena a. Sa soulve anpil deba nan sosyete a, nou menm Fanm Pale nou te kontre ak kèk fanm nan kominote ayisyenn nan pou bay avi pa yo sou konsekans lantè ratifikasyon sa ka gen yen sou peyi a.

Machann pèpè : Lè ou mize ou pote pi bon nouvèl, genlè se paske pa genyen premye minis kifè pa gen lavant. Mwen ta renmen yo metel, konsa ya kreye ti job mounn ap gen ti lajan nan men yo epi yap vinn fe nou vann.

Employez : Mwen panse konsekans lan grav anpil paske menm lekol ki te dwe louvri en septanm pa rive ouvri jan sa te prevwa, paske pa gen gouvènman, yo oblije rekondwi menm bidjè a, anyen pako ka fèt. Pwosesus la twò long li kraze peyi a nèt.

Abitan Delma : Li enpòtan anpil pou ta genyen premye minis lan, paske ensekirite ap vale teren. Minis ki la yo di se zafè kouran yap regle, yo pa pran ankenn desizyon serye. Nou espere palmantè yo ap wè nesesite pou ratifye chwa sa a pou ka debloke peyi a paske se nou pèp kap peye konsekans lan.

Nap swiv pwosesus la de prè pounn we si atant pèp la ap konble jan tout mounn swete sa.

...........................................

Ratification of the new candidate for Prime Minister, Garry Conille

It’s been about 4 months now since President Martelly took office, and as of today, his government is still not in place. In Haiti, the head of government consists of the president and a prime minister, who is nominated by the president and voted in by 2 bodies – the deputees and the senate. The process of appointing the new prime minister has sparked much debate in the Haitian community and the Fanm Pale team spoke with several women in the community to hear their thoughts on the consequences of the long delay in this process.

Street vendor: Sometimes when things drag out this long it’s worth the wait but it may because the PM is still not appointed that sales are down. I hope the decision is approved soon so we can start creating jobs and business might get better.

Commuter: I think the consequences are really serious - schools haven’t even been able to open in September as scheduled. Because the government is still not in place, those in office are stuck reworking the same budget and nothing can really be implemented yet. If this goes on to long it’s going to crush the country.

Delmas resident: It’s really important to get the prime minister into office because insecurity is gaining ground. The ministers currently in power claim they are resolving issues with the electricity grid but they’re not making any serious decisions. We hope the parliament sees this importance of ratifying this candidate so we can get out of this gridlock because it’s the people that pay the consequences.

We’ll be following the process closely to see if the population finds the result they are looking for.

Vinn Goute

Nan dènye mwa sa yo, nou wè ke biznis nan zòn Christ Roi kòmanse ap boujonnen ankò e vinn gen plis restoran. Nou te sòti poun tal pale ak youn nan mèt resto sa yo, pou n te mandel plis enfomasyon sou kijan biznis pal la ye pou li.

Nou te arive poze l kesyon pou ki rezon li chwazi fè pal la nan zòn nan. Li te reponn nou se paske li wè zòn lan apropriye paske gen anpil moun ki frekante l. Li di li vle ede kominote a, tankou lontan yo te konn sòti ale byen lwen pou yo te ale achte yon pla cho, kounye a nou ka di pa gen sa ankò. Li te fè nou konnen dapre li biznis lan te trè rantab nan zòn lan, men kounye a la bagay yo chanje. Lè yo te fèk komanse, yo te konn depanse mwens kounye la yo ka di yo depanse plis pou yo prepare manje yo a koz de pri prodwi yo ki monte. Li di tou avan te gen plis kliyan men vi jan sitiyasyon ekonomik kounye a, moun yo pa sòti menm jan ankò.

Nou te gen privilèj pou n te pale ak youn nan kliyan yo tou ki di nou rezon ki fè li chwazi restoran sa se paske li jwenn bon akèy, sevis la rapid, e genyen bon kondisyon ijiène. Li te di pou mèt resto a pa dekouraje malgre jan sitiasyon ekonomik lan ye pou li toujou kenbe menm sèvis lan pou li ka jwenn plis kliyan.

Nou wè biznis sa yo bon pou kominote a paske moun yo jwenn bagay yo pi pwòch e pi fasil epi plis aktivite ekonomik nan zòn nan ka bon pou sekirite a tou paske depi genyen resto, konn gen plis limyè ak plis moun nan lari aswè. Nou swete pou mèt biznis sa yo jwenn plis kliyan e pou li rantrab pou yo, pou pemèt zòn lan kontinye devlope.
...........................................

Come and taste

Over the past few months, we have seen businesses starting to come back to life in Christ Roi and there are more and more restaurants in the area. We went out to talk with one of the restaurant owners in the area to see how business was going for him.

When asked was why he had chosen to start up his restaurant in this neighborhood, he explained that he had seen the area prime for this type of business because there was so much foot traffic. He saw opening up a restaurant as a way to help out the local community too, as people used to have to walk pretty far to get a hot meal. Now, that’s not the case anymore.

As for how business is going, he explained that when he first started up a few years ago, the business used to be more profitable; these days they spend much more to prepare food because food prices have gone up. The other challenge has been clientele. The restaurant used to have many more customers but as the economic situation has gotten harder, less people are going out to eat.

We had the chance to speak with one of the restaurant customers as well and asked why he had chosen this spot. He said the staff is always friendly, the service is fast and they are always clean. He hoped that despite the economy that the restaurant continues to deliver good service so they can attract more customers.

From our point of view, we see these businesses are good for the community - people in the area have access to more things close by and more economic activity can help the security situation too. When there are restaurants open, there tends to be more lighting and more people out on the streets in the evenings. We hope these business owners are able to find more customers and and that business to be profitable so that the area continues to develop.

Machann san mache

Nan plizyè zòn gen yon mache pou tout machann ta vann. Nou remake nan zòn Kriswa se nan lari a machann chita . Ki rezon ki fè sa?

Se nan lide pou chèche konnen, nou te sòti pou al entèwoje kèk machann kap vann nan lari a. Se konsa genyen kite reponn pou di ke zòn nan te gen mache se aprè tranbleman an moun ki te gen kay kraze yo te al abite nan plas mache a. Konsa machann yo te oblije al chita vann nan lari a. “ Nou rankontre anpil obstak nan lari a tankou lè lapli tonbe nou pa prèske jwenn kote poun chita ouvri komès nou yo, ak anpil labou. Epi machinn konn prèske kraze machandiz nou yo”.

Genyen lòt machann ki pa chita, k ap pwomennen. Machann sa prefere vann bò lari a menm si leta ta resi rive bay chak zòn mache pou machann yo vann ; ‘’mwen menm se yon machann pwomennen, lèm bouke m fè yon ti chita bò lari a m santi m pi alèz pou m vann ak moun kap pase , pase poum ta stab nan yon mache paske lòt machann konn rayi lòt machann pou ti kal plas. Pou rezon sa m pito rete vann nan lari ‘’.

Nou rive konprann plis moun pa jwenn travay pou yo fè se plis yo chèche lage kò yo nan fè komès; nòmalman yon moun pa ka viv de bra kwaze. Eske vrèman leta ap panse pou moun sa yo ak machandiz yo kap pran pousye, mikròb tout kalite bò lari a?

..............................................

Marketless Merchants
In many neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince there are dedicated marketplaces where merchants in the area come to sell. But in Christ Roi, we see that it’s in the streets vendors sit with all of their goods. Why is that?

It was with this question in mind that we set out to interview some of the merchants in the area. In talking with several women, we learned that there was previously a marketplace in Christ Roi, but after January 12^th displaced families from the neighborhood moved into the market area seeking shelter. As a result, the vendors had not choice but to move into the streets to sell.

“There are many downfalls to selling in the street. When the rain falls, we pretty much have nowhere to sit; there is tons of mud. And cars in the area pass by so close they nearly run over our stuff.”

There was another vendor we spoke with who doesn’t sit, but instead walks through the streets selling. She told us she preferred selling in the streets this way, and that even if the government were to establish a new marketplace, she wouldn’t work there. “I’m a walking vendor. When I’m tired, I sit down for a while and sell to those passing by. I’m more at ease selling to passersby than being fixed in a market place. In the markets there is all sorts of jealousies, too. Other vendors can curse you through Vodou for something as simple as taking their spot. Because of all this, I prefer to be in the street.”

We learned that as more and more people can’t find work, they are turning to small commerce like these vendors to make ends meet. What concern does the government have for these people who sit on the streets with all of their goods amongst all of the dust and germs?

Komès pèpè

Youn nan komès ki genyen pi plis an Ayiti se komès pèpè a. Se poutèt sa nou te al fè yon ti chita pale ak yon machann kap fè komès sa pou nou te ka konnen plis enfomasyon sou komès pèpè a.

Q. Depi konbyen tan wap fè komès sa?
R. Mwen te kòmanse fè komès sa depi avril 2010 ki donk mwen gen plis pase 1 nan .

Q. Poukisa ou te chwazi fè komès sa?
R. Paske aprè tranblemann tè a tout bagay te kraze. Kounya mwen te chwazi fè komès sa paske se li mwen te renmen pou mwen te kapab retire strès.

Q. Pa ki fason ki fè ou te rive fè komès sa?
R. Mwen te konn pote manje kwit anbwate nan yon enstiti fr

ansè sou kòmann. Aprè tranblemann tè a konpayi sa kite pòtoprens li ale jakmèl. Kòm mwen te déjà gen kòb sa nan menm, mwen deside achte pèpè poum revann.

Q. Ki avantaj ou jwenn ak kisa ki pi difisil nan komès sa?

R. Sa ki pi difisil pou mwen pafwa lè m’ chita bò lari a yon kliyan vini li fè w pale plede manyen komès la epi li vire do l li pa menm achte .Epi tou trajè a difisil lèm sot achte machandiz la nan depo jis kafou se anba redi pou machin piblik pote’l pou 500 san goud potel kriswa
Avantaj mwen jwenn ak ti benefis la mwen peye kay m peye lekòl timoun yo mwen bay o mande ladan mwen fose viv avèk li jan sa ye.

Malgre jan sa ye, jan vi an difisil, avèk komès sa nou wè medam yo jwenn yon fason kan mèm pou degaje yo pou yo chèche lavi.

......................................................

Pèpè vendors

One of the most common types of commerce in Haiti is what we call Pèpè, or the sale of second hand goods donated or purchased from abroad. We went out to talk with one of the merchants selling Pèpè in the area to find out more about her business.

Q. How long have you been in this type of commerce?
R. I started back in April, 2010 so it’s been about a year now.

Q. Why did you choose to start selling Pèpè?
R. After the earthquake, everything was destroyed. I started in Pèpè to help ease my stress.

Q. How did you get started?
R. Before, I used to prepare boxed lunches for special orders and deliver them to the French Institute. After the earthquake, the company I used to deliver food to left Port-au-Prince for Jacmel. With the money I had from this business I decided to buy Pèpè to resell.

Q. What are the benefits you see in this type of commerce? What is most difficult?
R. The hardest part is when I am sitting here in the street and a client comes up, starts talking, picks up some of the merchandise, and then turns and walks away without buying anything. Transport is also tricky when I go to buy merchandise. The depot I buy from is all the way out in Carrefour and I end up paying more than $12 USD to get everything back to Christ Roi where I sell.

The benefits are that with what I make from this business I am able to pay for our house, send my kids to school, feed the family. I make it work with what I have.

Despite these difficulties, Pèpè offers many women in this country a way to make ends meet and make a living.

Dekonble lakou lakay

Depis apre 12 janvye, tout kote nou pase nan lari Port-au-Prince se kay kraze. Lè moun yo wè dekomb ap ba yo pwoblèm bo lakay yo , yo retire yo men se nan mitan lari yo mete yo, ki vle bay yon pi gro pwoblem. Yon nan pwoblèm sa yo nou te gentan wè, se pwoblem blokis. Ak dekonb nan lari, machin vin pi difisil pou sikile , e nou te deja pat gen bon rout. Nou te fè yon ti sòti nan zon Kristwa pou n aprann plis sou pwoblèm dekonb.

Lè nou tap pale ak moun kap leve dekonb yo, nou te mande yo poukisa se nan mitan lari a yo deside mete dekomb yo. Atout yo we ki gwo pwoblem sa ap bay nan lari a ? Gen yon moun ki tap vin vide nan lari a te reponn nou li di : » depi dat kay yo fin kraze, leta pa janm deside fe anyen pou nou. Nou oblije metel nan mitan lari a, o mwen lè sa leta ap we li koz yon gwo pwoblem, la resi voye yon machin vin ranmase l ».

Nou poze yon lot moun kesyon, kote nou te mande l, Ki pwoblem dekomb lan bayo lel tou pre lakay yo? Epi gen yon dam ki te reponn nou ki di : » le dekomb lan tou pre lakay nou gen moun ki tou pwofite vin vide fatra sou li, lè konsa fatra sa yo konn kale moustik ki ka ba nou plizye maladi tankou malarya, tifoyid ect… Epi le lapli tonbe dekonb lan fe labou devan pot lakay nou. Lè nap antre li konn pemet nou tonbe. »

Nou komanse wè ke kesyon sa ap bay anpil pwoblèm pou moun nan kominote a, pa sèlman nan domen transpò. Nan pale ak moun sa yo, nou te aprann tou ke pi fò travay nan retire dekonb, se pa leta ayisyen kap fè l, se òganizasyon entènasyonal. Si òganizasyon yo ki deja sou pye nan domen sa tap mete tèt ansanm avèk gouvènman pou ta genyen yon kote disponib nan chak kominote lè yo leve doknb la yo pa tap bezwen bloke lari a, yo ta kapab jete l direk. Konsa li tap genyen yon bon rezilta pou popilasyon an ni nan sante, ni nan trasnpò, ni nan rekonstriksyon peyi a.

...................................

Removing rubble from the country's backyard

Ever since January 12^th, everywhere you go in Port-au-Prince, you see crumbled buildings. When the rubble starts to get in the way of residents daily lives, they are forced to remove it. But where does this rubble end up? It ends up in the streets outside, causing another set of consequences. One of the consequences we had noted was increased traffic, which was a challenge in this city even before the earthquake. We went out into the neighborhood of Christ Roi to find out more from residents about the effects the rubble caused.

When talking with those removing rubble in the area, one of the questions we asked was why they were dumping rubble in the streets when everyone can see this causes problems. Some of those working explained to us, “since the day these houses crumbled, the state hasn’t done anything for us. We are forced to dump it in the streets, because at least this way the government can see it is a problem and they are forced to send a truck to remove it.”

We also asked residents of the area what other issues rubble causes when dumped in the streets. One woman in the neighborhood explained, “when there are piles of rubble in front of our house, people take advantage and start dumping their trash here, too. The trash starts to attract mosquitoes and flies and along with them come viruses like malaria, typhoid, etc. When it rains, the rubble gets muddy too, making the entrance to the house slippery and dangerous.”

We began to see that the issue of rubble causes a series of problems for residents of the city, which go beyond just traffic. From talking to those in the area we also learned that most of the rubble removal happening now is not actually the work of the government, but international NGOs. If these organizations already active in removal could begin partnering with the government to have fixed dump sites in each community and a set schedule for removal trucks, those clearing out the property would not need to dump rubble in the middle of the streets. This would benefit the population at large not only in the realm of transport, but also in health, and the reconstruction process at large.

Nouvo gouvenman Ayisyen an

Nan yon ti chita pale ak kek fanm nan kominote yo, gen youn nan yo ki tap pale avek mwen sou nouvo gouvenman Ayisyen.

Q. Kisa w panse de nouvo gouvenman Ayisyen nan?

R. Mwen panse entan ke mizisyen ki rive prezidan jodia, jan li te konn ap chante pou fe pèp la plezi, mete la jwa nan kè, mwen panse konsa li kapab rive travay pou fè kè pèp la kontan, pou retire yo nan sitiyasyon yo ye. E vre li pat yon politisyen men nap swiv paske li ka gen an pespektiv vizyon pou devlope peyi a.

Q. Si w ta nan plas pou chita pale ak nouvo prezidan an, ki konsey ou tap bay li?

R. Kom premye konsey m tap pote, sè pou l fè yon rekonsilyasyon nasyonal, e pou li pa ekskli pesonn ki pre e ki gen kapasite pou patisipe nan devlopman peyi a. Mwen tap konseye li tou pou li pa chita sou entere
pesonel yo Selman, men nan yon fason ki tre kolektif konsa ansanm nap rive devlope peyi nou.

Si w ta nan plas pou chita ak government ki konsey ou tap ba li?

..........................................

The New Government of Haiti

While sitting and talking with a few women from different communities around Port-au-Prince, I interviewed one young woman about her thoughts on the new government.

Q. What do you think of the new president?

R. As a former musician now become president, maybe he (Martelly) can rise up and truly lift people’s sprits. The same way he used to sing for the people of Haiti and fill their hearts with joy, maybe he can bring them out of the situation they are living in now. Even though he wasn’t previously a politician, he does have a vision for developing the country. We’ll stay tuned to see.

Q. If you could sit down and talk with the new president, what advice would you give him?

R. The first piece of advice I would give is to focus on national reconciliation and to not exclude anyone that could have the capacity to participate in the development of the country. I would also advise him not to get caught up in purely personal interests, but to focus on a truly collective way for us to develop this country together.

I turn the question now to our readers - If you could sit down and talk with the new president, what advice would you give him?

Ti pale sou pwostitisyon an Ayiti

Kòman yon moun ta panse yon jen ti fi ap viv nan pwostitisyon, men ki lòt opsyon ki genyen pou sitiyasyon lap viv la? Eske se li menm vrèman kap chwazi mod vi sa ?

Depi apre tranbleman de tè a , lavi timoun de 13, 14 zan jiska plis, vin pi dejenere an ayiti. De no jou jen ti fi yo ap viv nan kondisyon ki an deyò sosyete a, bonè konsa li reskonsab bay tèt li tout sa li gen bezwen swa manman ou byen papa mouri kite. Timoun sa pa gen yon paran ranplasan ki reskonsab li, ni pou li ta sou siveyans moun sa. Timoun sa pa gen posiblite pou ale lekol menm jan ak tout lot ki gen paran, tankou pou li ta privilejye dwa li ki vyole nan sosyete a ki se dwa a l edikasyon, sante, lojman tout sal gen bezwen pou li ta viv byen nan sosyete a menm jan ak tout lot moun.

Ti fi sa leve chak maten ap reflechi kisa poul fe nan sitiyasyon lap viv la, kote genyen ladan yo ki pa gen kote pou abite, chak jou yo domi yon kote diferan kay zanmi. Nan reflechi kisa pou l fe li al kanpe sou trotwa la ri a se konsa yon mesye pwopoze li tout l gen bezwen pou l viv, swa yon ane lekol oubyen anfeme kay pou li rete nenpot lot bagay kelkonk ki primodyalite vi li nan moman an. Men , li oblije dako kouche ak neg sa. Depi lè a li di tet li konsa “Mwen ka fe ti kob mwen konsa ak sa bondye ban mwen an, m ka viv konsa map pran lari a chak le m gen bezwen.’’

Nan chita pale ak kek ladan yo, ki dim yo ta renmen chanje mod vi sa, bay vi yo yon lot direksyon men helas! Pa genyen mwayen pou l retire tet li. De grenn je leta ap founi gade jan lavi jenes la ap depafini, dwa yo vyole nan peyi a leta fe kom si yo bliye deklarasyon sou dwa tout kretyen vivan. Ki espwa timoun sa yo kap grandi nan pwostitisyon konsa?

Map poze tet mwen kesyon, kot avni jenes la ye ki tounen trafik seksyel, byen ke genyen ki ta vle kite sa men yo pa gen lot opsyon?


Ajan Fontamara/kan Site Charit 1
....................................................

A few words on prostitution in Haiti

You may think any number of things about a young girl living in prostitution, but what other option does she really have given the situation she's living in? Is it really her choice to enter into this life?

Since the earthquake, the lives of young girls 13, 14 years old and up have gotten far worse in Haiti. Young girls are living on the outskirts of society, too early they are forced to be responsible for themselves. Having lost their mothers or fathers in the earthquake, these girls often have nobody else to take care of them or look after them. They do not have the opportunity to go to school like other children whose parents are still living. These girls suffer from all sorts of violations of their rights, like the right to education, health, housing, the right to everything they may need to live well in society the same way as all others.

A young girl wakes up each morning to think about what she can possibly do given the situaition she’s living in. She may be one of many that do not have a place to live and are forced to sleep in a different place each night, at a different friend’s house each day. While she is out during the day, with all of this on her mind, she may meet a guy who offers her everything she might need to live – be it a year of school fees, or a house to live in, or any other basic need she may have at the moment - but she would need to agree to sleep with him. In the moment, she may say to herself ‘I can make ends meet like this with what god has given me, I can find a solution to my needs on the street.’

As I have sat and talked with some of these girls, many of them have told me they want to change how they are living, take a new direction. But alas, what means do they have to get out? If the state could only see how youth are really living, the way their rights are violated in this country. It is as it the government has forgotten all the declarations of rights that are supposed to govern how we live. What hope do these young girls have that are growing up in prostitution?

I ask myself, what future do these young girls have? What is ahead for those caught up in sexual trafficking, especially those who want out but have no way to leave?

Agent from Fontamara/ Site Charit 1 Camp

Palmis kap boujonnen

Ou se yon pye palmis ki chaje ak grenn pou chak madan sara vin poze soutèt ou. Pou chak madan sara vin prann yon ti grenn nan palmis la. Mwen pa ta renmen ou mouri. Mwen ta renmen yon sous dlo anba pye palmis. Pou palmis la toujou fè grenn. Madan sara yo prale. Yo pral relechi. Pou dlo a pa janm seche anba rasin palmis la. Nou prale, nap vole, nou pral priye pou sous la pa janm seche, pou li toujou ap boujonnen.
Nale.

Inspirasyon de Marie Alina Cajuste
Alias Ti bèbè

.........................................

Flowering Palm
You are like a palm tree full of fronds for each little bird to come rest on your shoulders. For each bird to come take a spot on the tree. I wouldn't like for you to die. I would like to make myself a spring beneath the palm so it can continue to blossom.
The birds will go eventually go, they will wish for the water never to dry up beneath the palm's roots. We too will go, we will fly, we will pray for the spring to never dry up, so the palm will continue to blossom forever.
Here we go.

Inspiration by Marie Alina Cajuste
Alias Ti bèbè

Kote ou ye, èske w sou la tè?

Eske ou pa konn fè rechèch pou konnen sak pase vrèman lè ou voye yon kat?

Menm jou m te jwenn kat la, m tap mache nan lari a, m tap vann. Yon moun ki rekonet mwen ki konn fanmi m te vin jwenn mwen pou di m ke yo te jwenn yon anvlop avek non m kote yo tap retire dekomb bo la pos tou pre mache ti goav. Lè yo te di m, m pat kwe l men m te al gade bo pos la pou wè.

Lè m te rive, m te jwenn anpil lòt moun te kampe nan liy nan pou yo wè si yo pat jwenn kat pou yo tou. Lè yo rive sou mwen nan liy nan, yo te bam pam nan tou chire e m te al depose lakay mwen.

Yon mwa apre, m tap chech act nesans pitit mwen e m te jwenn kat la. M te pè ouvri l men m te pote l pou pastè a legliz mwen. Lè li te ouvri l, li te jwenn yon kat visa ki tap konfime aplikasyon visa papam lòt bò gentan tan fè pou mwen lane 2007. Ekri jou 1 novanm, 2008, kat la te bam nouvel ke si m pat kontakte biwo a tout swit, you tap anile nimewo visa yo tap kenbe pou mwen.

Jounen jodia, preske 3 an apre, m mande m si yap toujou kenbe l pou mwen. M mande m kijan lavi a tap diferan si m te jwenn li nan 2008. Apre trembleman de tè a, apre tout mizè, apre m te viktim kadejak mwa sa, m mande m kijan bondye ap chwazi chemin pou nou.

E m mande m, èske moun ki tap chita andann biwo via lòt bò, ki te imprimi kat sa pou voye l bam mwen, èske yo tap imajine chemin kat sa tap prann. Èske yo pa tap mande, lè yo pa janm jwenn repons pam, si m te toujou sou la tè?


Viktim Ti Goav

.....................

Wherever you are, are you still on this earth?

Have you ever thought to look into what really happens to a letter once you mail it?

The day I received the letter, I was walking through the street, selling. Somebody who recognized me and knew my family came over to tell me that they had found a letter with my name on it over where they were removing rubble at the site of the old post office near the Petit Goave market. When he told me, I didn’t really believe him but I walked over to where the post office use to be to see for myself.

When I got there I found a big group of people, standing in line to see if letters had been found beneath the rubble with their names as well. When I got to the front of the line, they gave me my letter, envelope all torn, and I went to drop it off at my house and continued selling.
A month later, while I was looking for my daughter’s birth certificate, I found the letter. I had been scared to open it myself but brought it to the pastor at my church. When he opened it he found a letter from the U.S. National Visa Center, confirming the application my father in the States had filed for me back in 2007. The letter was dated November 1st, 2008 and explained that I needed to contact the visa office immediately in order to retain the visa number they were holding for me. After one year, all open visa applications are closed.

Today, nearly 3 years later, I wonder if they are still holding that number for me. I wonder how life would have been different if I had actually received that letter in 2008. 14 months after the earthquake, after all of this suffering, after I was a victim of rape this month, I wonder how it is that God chooses our destiny for us.

And I wonder if the person who was sitting in that visa office, the one who printed that letter to send to me, I wonder if they imagined the path that letter would take. I wonder if they asked themselves, when they never received my response, if I was indeed still on this earth.

Victim from Petit Goave

Viktim Koperativ

12 desanm, 2002, viktim yo te pedi kob nan yon koperativ nan potopwens. Nou menm te ladann. Depi lè sa nou gen anpil pwoblem. Nou te pedi tout mwayen ekonomik nou te genyen e leta sa pa fè anyen pou nou.

Lè tou sa te komanse, se te leta ki tap ankourage nou ale depose kob nan koperatif la paske yo tap ba nou 11%. Nou te konn se yon bon bagay. Gen anpil moun ki te kouri vin mete kob yo pou kapab pwofite. Men lè nou tout tonbe nan pwoblem sa, nou pat jwenn oken apui nan leta ankò. Tout kob sa nou te jere, tou sa nou te genyen, nou te pedi l.

Se te prezidan Aristide ki te mete yon biwo reparasyon pou nou pou ede nou vin rekipere kob la. Men nou pat gen tan touche kob nou avan yo te voye Aristide ale nan 2004. Biwo reparasyon an pat janm ouvri ankò e depi lè sa nou lage de bra balanse. Nou pa konn sa pou nou fè. Leta sa a pa vle fè anyen pou nou. Jounen jodia 12 janvye vin rive e nou vin nan pwoblem pired. Sa nou ta renmen se pou leta ta ede nou jwenn lajan nou te depose ou byen ba nou yon ti kob poun fe komes poun nou ka voye pitit nou lekol. Nou pa ka tann ankò. Nou pa gen oken mwayen pou kenbe fanmi nou. Èske nou pa genyen rezon mande kob sa jounen jodia ke nou te travay pou li anpil? Tanpri, di nou, ki sa pou n fè pou n viv?

Ajan Fanm Viktim Koperativ

...................................................

Victims of the Cooperative

On December 12, 2002, many victims lost money in one of the financial cooperatives in Port-au-Prince. We were among them. Ever since then, we have had serious problems. We lost all of the economic means we had and the government has done nothing to help us.

When all this began, it was the government that encouraged us to deposit money in the cooperatives because we would get an 11% return on our investment. We knew this was an incredible opportunity and we all ran to put our money in to take advantage of it. But once we fell into this problem, the government was not there to support us. Everything we had earned, everything we had, we lost it.

It was President Aristide that opened a reparations office for us to help us recuperate the funds we lost but we were unable to get our money back before he was sent out of the country in 2004. The reparations office was never opened again and since then we have been left with nothing. We don’t know what recourse we have. The government has does nothing for us and now since January 12th, things have only gotten worse for us. All we ask is that the government help us to recuperate the funds we deposited or to provide us some seed funding for a little business in order for us to send our kids to school. We cannot wait any longer. We have no means to provide for our families. Are we wrong to ask for the very funds we worked so hard to earn? Please tell us, how we are supposed to survive?

Agents of Women Victims of the Cooperative

Nan batay pou dwa fanm, travay nou se:

In the fight for women's rights, our work is:

Metsin anmè

Fanm lakay pap janm sispann soufri toutotan yo pa mete tet ansanm epi fe solidarite pou yo voye fanm nan pouvwa a. Si nap gade ki jan toupatou fanm nap soufri nou soufri tout kalite maladi. Le nou di maladi se pa selman doule men se tout pwoblem desepsyon, mize, chomaj, kadejak, baton, diskriminasyon, elatriye. Si n ta pran egzanp eleksyon k sot pase a gouvenman an ak KEP a vle fen vale you metsin chwal ki ame pase fyel bef men nou semante ke kou sa a pap pase. Yo vle kontwole sitiyasyon an pou yo ka bay rezilta pa yo. Se poutet sa yo mete yon fanm nan dezyem tou se paske yo gade fanm tankou bannan mi - sa vle di yo pi feb depi yo komanse bal presyon lap fe bak. Le sa a yap jwen posiblite pou yo mete moun yo vle a. Le sa a fanm yo pral soufri pi plis. Dwa fanm yo pa respekte se pou sa nou vle pou ta gen fanm fò nan pouvwa a. Si se mesye sa a yo rele Jude Celestin an ki ta vi n pezidan tout fanm nan peyi a pral tounen tochon pye. Nou vle pou le mond antye konnen mesye sa a pap nan avantaj peyi a sitou pou fanm yo.

.....................................

Bitter medicine

The women of Haiti will never stop suffering until they put their heads together in solidarity and bring a woman into power. If we look at how women everywhere are suffering, we suffer from every kind of ailment. And when I say ailment I don't mean just those that cause us physical harm, but every kind of problem - disappointment, misery, unemployment, rape, violence, discrimination, etc. If we take the example of the elections that just took place, the government and CEP are trying to make us swallow the most bitter medicine but we refuse to take it. They want to control the situation in order to get the result they want. This is why they have put a woman into the run off, because they see women as soft, as weak, as soon as they begin to pressure her she’ll retreat. And when she does they have the opportunity to put in power candidate they really want. As a result women will suffer even more. Women’s rights are not respected and that’s why we need a strong woman in power. If it’s this man, Jude Celestin, who becomes our president, the women of this country will become the dirt under his feet. We want the entire world to know that he will not help our country and least of all its women.

Sitiyasyon nou vin pi grav

Fanm nan kan yo di, nou konstate depi aprè rezilta eleksyon an sitiyasyon yo vin pi grav kote plis pitit pèp la kontinye ap mouri, administrasyon piblik nan anpil pwovens ap kraze kote ke sa pral mete nou nan rekomanse toutan. Dejouranjou pwoblèm nou menm fanm nan kan yo ap vin pi di, apre reziltaeleksyon you nou resevwa kout woch, kout boutèy, kote ke vye tant nou konn domi yo fin chire pandan yap revandike pou pouvwa, nou menm fanm nou kontinye ap viktim, peyi a bloke, nou pa gen anyen poun bay pitit nou. Kesyon nap poze, èske politisyen sa yo ap goumen pou pouvwa chanje sitiyasyon pèp la oubyen pou yo chanje sitiyasyon poch yo.

..........................................

Our situation deteriorates

We women in the camps have seen that since the elections results were released our situation has only gotten worse. The children of Haiti continue to die, government offices in many provinces are being torn down and it means we are back in the position of starting over, over and over again. Each day, the struggle of women in the camps gets harder. After the electoral results we feel the blow of every rock that’s thrown, every bottle. The tattered tents we sleep in are torn as they fight for power and we the women continue to be victims. The country has come to a halt. We have nothing to give our children. The question we ask is, are politicians fighting for power to change the situation for the people of Haiti or merely to fill their own pockets?

Aktyalite eleksyon 28 novanm nan Matisan

jou ki 28 novan 2010 lan jou eleksyon an nan biwo repiblik perou ki nan matisan , pandan jounen vot la ve 10 ze nan maten te gen moun ki tap voye boutey yo te tire ak zam yo te anpeche moun yo vote. yo tap bayo presyon paske yo pat vle moun vote lot pati ke inite si yon moun pa vle vote inite yo yo fe presyon sou yo, jiskas ke se lapolis ki te vin bay sekirite pou moun yo te ka vote nan lape ak sekirite.

epi nan demen jou ki te 29 novanm nan tegen yon manifestasyon nan lari nan zon matisan te gen moun ki tap manifeste ak foto kandida a la prezidans lan ki te michel joseph martelly yo t bay gwoup manifestan sa yo gaz akrimojen le yo te rive nan matisan 1 men se polisye yo ki te te bay gaz la pou yo te ka fe foul la evakye.

Ajan yo ki nan Matisan

...........................................................

On election day, November 28th, at the Republic of Peru polling station in Martissant people starting throwing rocks, bottles and shooting around 10 am to keep people from voting. Aggressors did want reisdents to vote for any party other than INITE and attacked voters until the police arrived to protect voters and provide security.

On the morning after elections, there were demonstrations in the street in Martissant and people were carrying photos of Michel Joseph Martelly. When the crowd arrived at Martissant 1, National Police began shooting tear gas to break up the crowd.

Agents from Martissant

Yon fwa anko vyolans sou fanm ap kontinye fe chemen l

Yon gason touye madanm li nan ponp gazolin Stamat ki nan matisan ye dimanche lan paske li pat antre lakay li samdi swa. Fi a te ale veye nan Stamat la li panse ke mesye a te malpas pou pote machandiz machan n ki pat gen tan vini nan samdi . Konsa li we mari l kap vini li pwoche pou l we epi machin nan te vid li mande neg la kote l te domi. Neg la bay malerez you sel kout pot la fi a tonbe de pye long misye menm vire volan e fe bak sou fi a ate a.

Ajan Matisan
....................................

Once again, violence against women continues
A man killed his wife at the Starmart gas station in Martissant on Sunday, because he did not come home Saturday night. The woman stayed at Starmart all night thinking that the man went to Malpasse to bring merchandise for a group of vendors. She saw her husband pull in and came closer to see and the car was empty. She asked the man where he had slept. The man swung the car door open to hit the poor woman, knocking her to the floor. He then turned the wheel and ran over her, killing her.

Agent from Martissant

Lapolis te bay gaz nan manifestasyon nan Chanmas

Police gas a demonstration in Champs de Mars

Kote moun ap dòmi

Kote n'ap gade la se kote moun ap dòmi. kote sa se kote yo fè depo chabon pou vann, se la moun yo oblije dòmi ki menm pa bon pou sante yo ki se pousyè chabon an fè li fè yo malad nan sèvo yo. depi tranbleman de tè a fin pase se konsa sityasyon moun sa yo ye jouk jounen jodia.

.....................

Where people are sleeping

This is one of the places people have been sleeping. It's a spot where charcoal is collected and sold but there is now a camp around it. People sleep here even though the charcoal dust makes them sick in the sinuses and is terrible for their health. This has been the situation every since earthquake.

Klinik anba moso prela

Ti moso prela sa n'ap gade la li pote non Klinik. li sitiye bizoton 53,nan yon kan ki rele pak chabon. Se yon kote moun yo te konn vann chabon, lè tranbleman de tè fini pase se la moun ki gen kay kraze yo vin mete moso prela pou yo te ka pare lapli ak solèy e se la yo dòmi tou. Lè timoun yo kòmanse malad gen de twa enfimyè kap viv nan menm sit sa, yo te gen kèk materyèl yo vini avèk yo anba ti bout prela sa n'ap gade la epi yo fè yon klinik. Yo pa salè se paske yon gen volonte e yo se manman pitit ki fè yo vinn bay èd yo. Yo pa menm gen ase materyèl pou yo sèvi tout timoun nan kan sa.

Ajan: Bizoton ak Maryani

............................

Clinic under a tarp

The little piece of tarp you see here is a clinic. It’s located in Bizoton 53 in a camp called Charcoal Park. It’s a place where people used to sell charcoal but after the earthquake people gathered here and set up tents to protect them from the sun and rain, to sleep. When children started to get sick, there were 3 nurses that lived there who had some basic supplies and they came together under this tarp to start a clinic. The have no funding and have done this of their own will. They too are mothers and understood that other people’s children were in need. They don’t have enough supplies to treat all of the children in the camp.

Agents from Bizoton and Marianie

Ensekirite

Nou gen lapere. Nou paka mache ta, nou pe domi nan nwit, ni lajounen. Violans sou fanm, timoun, kidnaping tribo pa bo. Vole ap tiye nou si yo pa jwen kob sou nou oubyen yo kouche nou.

Manb FAVILEK.

...............................

Insecurity

We are afraid. We can't walk at night, we are afraid to sleep at night and during the day. Violence against women, girls, kidnapping everywhere. They rob us and if they find no money on us they kill us or rape us.

Member of FAVILEK

Kadejak timoun

Nou vle rakonte yon istwa ki pase dimanch ki te 7 novanm. Pandan mwen soti mal we yon zanmim ki malad. Mwen ki te yon ti pitit mwen ak yon vwazin ki tou pre ave m' mezanmi menm ti pitit vwazin lan fe kadejak sou pitit mwen an. Le m' vini atò mwen jwenn li ap kriye lè mande l' map swiv li m' jwenn kilòt li plen san. Laj ti moun mwen li gen 5 an.

Ajan Martisan

........................................

A Child Raped

We want to tell you something that happened on Sunday, November 7. I went out to go see a friend who was ill. I left one of my children with a neighbor who lives nearby and my neighbor’s son raped her. When I came back, I found her crying. As I looked at her and asked her what happened, I saw her underwear was covered in blood. My daughter is just five years old.

Agent from Martissant

Vole kap baye pwoblem en Haiti

Sa ki fet nou jwen anpil vole en Haiti se apwe tranbleman de te a gen anpil jen gason ki lage nan pwison yo pa jwen anyen pou yo fe yo oblige ale vole. Sa pose yon gwav pwoblem pou popilasyon yap tire moun pran sa yo genyen nou vin pa an sekirite ni la jounen ni nan nwit.

Ajan Kafoufey

....................................

Theft is a serious problem in Haiti
One of the reasons we are experiencing high rates of theft is that after the earthquake many young men have escaped from the prisons and now have no work and no income. They turn to theft to sustain themselves and this poses a serious problem for the population. They hold us up at gunpoint, take what we have and we have no security during the day or night.

Agent from Carrefour Feuille

MENAS ELEKSYON

Se te samedi 6 novembre nan kant mozole kandida president preval te vini bay kob gen ki anpil vyolans. Moun kap fe kapay pou kandida di si nou pa ale vote yap mete dife nan kant yap tire nou. Yo bay 100 dollars kob pou yo ka ale vote. Gen moun ki gen zam nan zon pa gen sekirite eleksyon pa ka fet.

Agent DE MOZOLEE

..........................................

Electoral violence
On Saturday November 6th, the presidential candidate for Preval’s party came to Mosolee camp to distribute money and there was a lot of violence. The people campaigning for him threatened us by saying that if we didn’t go and vote for him that they would set our camp on fire and shoot us. They gave 100 Haitian dollars to each person who said they would go vote. There are people with guns in our neighborhood and we have no security. We can’t hold elections.

Agent from Mosolee

Demokrasi an ayiti.

An ayiti nou pa gen sa yo rele demokrasi a. Lè nou pran 12 janvye anpil moun ki nan la ri a toujou , pa gen okenn konsène nan peyi a ki di anyen ak ti rès moun ki vivan yo . Yo fè kòmsi yo pa konnen sak te pase a , epi yap pale de eleksyon eske la gen demokrasi vre?

Ajan wout 9 zòn Site Soley

.......................................

Democracy in Haiti
In Haiti we don’t have what people call democracy. Look at what happened on January 12th and we still have tons of people living in the streets. No one in the government cares about those of us who survived. They act as if they don't know what happened and they are talking about elections. Is this really democracy?

Agent from Route 9, Cite Soleil

Pwoblem eleksoyon an Ayiti

Se te lendi 1 novanm vè 6 zè di swa mwen te chita devan lakay mwen , te gen yon bann ki tap pase men se kanpay yo tap fè pou yon kandida . Men te gen 5 evade ki te nan foul la , yo te apèsi lapolis tap fè patwouy yo te pè paske yo te gen zam sou yo ,yo te kouri brize chèz ki te devan pòt la; pou lapolis pa arété yo.

Se te yon Ajan site Soley mèsi.

.........................................

Election problem in Haiti
It was November 1st around 6 in the evening. I was sitting in front of my house and a marching band was passing by campaigning for a candidate. However, there were five escaped prisoners in the crowd. They suspected that the police were doing random checks and they were scared because they were carrying weapons. They took off running and broke the chair in front of my door as they tried to evade the police.

Agents from Cite Soleil. Thank you.

Evade prizon

Evade prizon yo se ravaj yap fe nan Matisan. Se rantre nan kay moun fe kadejak sou fi ak ti fi vole piye sa moun genyen.

Escaped Prisoners
The escaped prisoners are terrorizing Martissant. They enter people’s homes, rape women and young girls, and steal whatever people have.

Siklon

Yo anonse siklon nou menm nan matisan vi nou an danje paske lanme a pwoch nou moun yo bati pre lanme a. Pou moman sa a se moun delma avek moun anwo yo ki asire nan moman siklon nan.

Ajan Matisan

................................

Hurricane
They announce a hurricane is coming and our lives are in serious danger in Martissant because we are so near the sea. People build houses near the sea. As of right now, only people in Delmas and in the hills are safe during the hurricane season.

Agent from Martissant

Fanm agrese

Sete 30 septanb jou 19e anivese KONAMAVID nou te fe yon manifetasyon deavan paket devan ministe lajistis pounn mande jistis pou tout fanm ki victim yo . Depi le sa nap viv ak ke sote ak menas . Chak soi nou domi yon kote . Nou mande pou yo tapran ka nou an konsiderasyon. NOU MANDE JISTIS AK REPARASYON POU TOUT FANM.

.................................

Women Attacked

It was September 30, the day of the 19th Anniversary of KONAMAVID, and we organized a protest in front of the Ministry of Justice to demand justice for all women victims. Since then we have been threatened repeatedly and live in constant fear. We sleep in different locations every night. We ask that they look into our case but to no avail. We demand justice and reparation for all women.

Probleme Injistis

Gen 700 moun nan kant mosolee gen 3 latrin et 1 douch . Nou menn fanm le bezyen ale nou kanpe anpil pou nou tann mesye yo. Pa gen sekirite pa gen kouran gen anpil bandi kap viv nan kant yo konn menase nou eh yo fe vyolans sou nou. Gen yon peti sant le nal consilte se achete poun achete medikaman yon lot kote.

...................................

Problem of Injustice
There are 700 people at Mosolee Camp. There are 3 toilets and 1 shower. When we women need to use them, we have to stand for a long time waiting for the men. There is no security, no electricity, there are many bandits living in the camps. They sometimes threaten us and attack us. There is one little clinic where we go for consultation; we have to buy the medications somewhere else.

Kat chanmars

Kat se chanmars cote moun apviv. pagenyen dlo epagenyn latrine. elogemen nougenyin bocou problem. nou pacap dormi enba tante. pouale nem douch se nem lari sepabon pasque vacabon afercadejac sounou.

Ajan Chanmas

...............................

Map of Champs de Mars
This map is of Champs de Mars where many people live. We don’t have water or bathrooms and we have many problems with housing. We can’t sleep in the tents. To get to the showers we have to walk through the street where men rape us.

Agent from Champs de Mars

Se Georgette

Se Georgette qui vie a Chanmas . Elle a beaucou problem.

..........................

This is Georgette who lives in Champs de Mars. She has a lot of problems.