Although Haiti is still struggling to recover from the January earthquake, there is plenty of good news to be found there.
It’s been less than six months since the devastating earthquake that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in Haiti, but the country seems to have fallen off the radar for most of us. Have things gone back to normal there?
Not exactly. Much of the country still lies in ruins, and essential institutions like schools, colleges, and hospitals have yet to be repaired or rebuilt. Countless Haitians have lost their homes and are living in makeshift tent cities.
Yet even so, there are many signs of hope for the troubled country. Here are just a few stories of hope and happiness coming out of the rubble.
Business is booming in the tent cities.
Even though many Haitians’ stores have been destroyed, entrepreneurs are rebuilding their businesses in the new tent cities—and surprisingly, there are more businesses than ever before. A stroll through a tent city reveals food shops, beauty salons, electronics stores, and even a combination cell phone-charging station/movie theater. Check out this Frontline video showing the remarkable resilience of the Haitian people.
Priceless artwork is being restored.
Haiti’s cultural center, Port-au-Prince was severely damaged in the quake, and many of the priceless artworks in the city’s museums and galleries were destroyed. But recently, a group of American art conservators traveled to Haiti to dig through the rubble in an effort to restore damaged murals, paintings, and other artworks that would otherwise be lost for good. The effort was organized by the Smithsonian Institution, which will open a center in Haiti to show many of the restored works. While they are in Haiti, the conservators will also work on training Haitians in restoring the artwork, so that they will be able to continue rebuilding the country’s vibrant culture by preserving these vital relics.
An 8-year-old violinist raises money for her Haitian hero.
Brianna Kahane, an 8-year-old violin prodigy, is a fan of Haitian violinist Romel Joseph, and she was devastated to learn that he’d been injured when his music school had collapsed. Joseph’s legs and one of his hands were broken, and he may never be able to play violin again—but nonetheless, he remains committed to rebuilding his school. And Brianna wants to help him.
She visited Joseph at a hospital in Miami, and donated her first violin. She’s also collecting instruments, money, and other supplies to contribute towards Joseph’s goal at her website, www.briannakahane.com.
A Cuban Creole choir is touching hearts in the Haitian camps.
Desandann, a Cuban Creole choir, recently returned from a 2-month tour of Haiti, where they ran music workshops in the tent cities and put on a series of public performances. It was a moving experience for the Cubans, as many of them had ancestors who had come from Haiti—and it seemed to touch the Haitians deeply, as well. “Every time we sang to people in Haiti it was like they were reborn,” Teresita Miranda, one of the singers, told BBC News.