The poorest country in the western hemisphere lies in the cradle of the Carribean, just over an hour from Florida by air. It struggles in squalor, poverty and disease.

• 80% live under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty.
• 10% of children die before age five.
• 40% of children attend school, there is 53% illiteracy.
• Only 10% of children will attend high school.
• 1 in 50 are infected with aids.
• Haiti’s annual budget is about $300 million dollars.
• The average worker makes $2.75 a day.
• There are 8 doctors for every 100,000 inhabitants.
• 40% of the population is under 14 years old.

While the world waits patiently for the political situation to settle (which may well take a decade or more) the health of the population is put on hold. We could not continue to watch this fragile state of affairs, while less than 1% of the population has access to dental care.

In response to the situation, a team of volunteers from Newfoundland arrived in Haiti during one of the Canadian International Dental Foundation (CIDF) mission trips with their bags bursting with supplies and their hearts full of hope. A contingent of 5 dentists, 5 hygienists, 1 assistant, 2 interpreters and one skilled tradesman, were representing CIDF. Half of the team was returning to embrace the challenge of delivering dental care in this setting, while for others it was their first time experiencing the chaos that Haiti offers.

It was immediately apparent to us all, when CIDF arrived in Port au Prince, much had improved in the country. There was a lot of construction going on and the mounds of garbage that we were used to had disappeared. What’s more, the mood of the people had changed for the better. The President, affectionately known as “sweet Mickey” appeared to be getting his act together. With 80% unemployment, and most folks earning less than $2.00 a day, life continues to be a day to day struggle for survival.