Harvesting Hope for Haiti

The United Nations Human Development Report ranked Haiti 148th out of 179 countries, with respect to being unable to attain the most basic standard of living indicators. Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has a gross national income per capita of US $480, and a U. N. Human Development Index (HDI) comparable to the poorest countries in the world. Seventy-eight percent of the population lives on less than US $2/day, and a staggering 54% live in extreme poverty, less than a US $1/day. The nation has been hard hit by rising food prices, severe malnutrition, and deplorable health and living conditions. On January 12, 2010, Haiti was devastated by a massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake that claimed the lives of an estimated 230,000 people. The primary goal of "Harvesting Hope for Haiti" is to raise both awareness and funds to facilitate the development and maintenance of infrastructure geared towards promoting sustainable living conditions and combating destitution in specific Haitian communities on the basis of need and poverty, while facilitating both academic and civic experiences for Miami Dade College students. Funds will go to Food for the Poor who will use the money to create homes for displaced families, and sustainable food projects in Haiti, like tilapia farms and fruit trees.