Survival in post-earthquake Haiti: Institutional predators, individual maneuver

Survival in post-earthquake Haiti:Institutional predators, individual maneuverGerald F. MurrayDept. of Anthropology (emeritus)University of Florida1The Caribbean Basin

2Island of Hispaniola

3Relief map of Hispaniola

4Relief map of Haiti

5Survival strategies and their special complexities in HaitiMale agrarian strategiesFemale commercial strategiesReproductive strategies: Protection in old ageHealth strategies: Schooling strategies: freedom from agricultureChild relocation: giving children awayEmigration: the major collective aspiration6Components of peasant economyLand tenure systemCropsLivestockMarket system

7Haitian peasant land tenureBilateral partible inheritancePrivatized holdings.Low level of landlessnessSmall holdingsScattered holdingsSharecropping and land purchase

8Peasant croppingTechnology: Hoe and macheteWater: RainfallLand clearing: Deforestation and erosionAbsence of fallowConversion to pasture

9Peasant livestock systemCattle, pigs, goats, sheepPrivate and communal grazing landAnimals as a source of investment

10Subsistence vs. market involvementDefinition of subsistence cultivatorThe subsistence economies of indigenous America.The commercial orientation of the CaribbeanMarket strategy of Haitian peasant

11Hoe agriculture

12Exchange labor or wage labor

13Agrarian architecture

14A planted lowland field

15Agrarian options and dilemmasMass exodus: Agriculture a declining option in Haiti.

Major problem: not land shortage, but water and capital.

Because of drought, credit not a safe option.

Food security: dependent on purchase. 60% imported.

Agriculture no longer seen as an attractive option for offspring

16The Haitian market womanMarketing still an attractive option for women. Major activity is purchase and resale, not sale of family crops.Two levels of marketingMadam saraRevandezMales market major livestockWomen interviewees prefer access to credit over access to free food.

17Children as porters to market

18The market in art

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20Family strategiesTwo modes of conjugal union: mariaj, plasaj.Marriage socially more respected.Marriage often occurs in old age. Polygamy in the rural areas. Children now valued more for support in old age than for field labor. Though people are reluctant to say how many children they want (its up to God), the want 4 or 5 in view of child mortality. The issue of fertility and development.

21Child relocationThe phenomenon of the restavek: child slave.Poorer Haitians relocate their children to live with relatives or strangers, usually in the city.The basic ground rule: child gives labor in exchange for schooling, shelter, food.Many Haitians argue in favor of the practice.Parents want to remain in touch with the child.The children are often abused, and human rights activists describe it as child slavery

22Comparative Population StatisticsTerritorysq.mipoppop/sq.miCuba42,82711,451,652267Florida58,56018,300,000313Dominican Republic18,8169,650,054513Haiti10,7149,035,536843Martinique421403,000957Puerto Rico3,4353,971,0201,156Barbados166259,0001,56023Schooling of childrenEducation now a universal goal.Relocation of children is justified in educ. terms.53% literacy rate (people over 15 who have gone to school). Lower than 90% ave. for L.A. and Carib.There are 15,200 primary schools in Haiti, 90% private.2/3 of Haitian children attend at least a year of school. Of these only 1/3 reach sixth grade. One of Aristides priorities was education. Field observations: shaky financial viability of most private schools.

Statistics come from USAID report on education24Health care strategiesRich traditions of folk healing:Natural healing: midwives, leaf doctorsSpirit healing: houngans and mambo, Protestant healersHaitians firmly believe in modern biomedicine as well.Multiple forms of post-earthquake and post-cholera emergency programsPartners in Health will discuss health issues in the next lecture.

25Age, birth, infant deathsTerritorymed. Agepop gr.birth/1000inf.mort.Haiti210.79%24.474.4U.S.A.370.97%13.86.1Cuba380.22%11.05.7Dom. Rep. 261.36%19.923.1Puerto Rico370.27%11.48.2Barbados360.37%12.412.126Emigration as a survival strategyThere has been a history of labor emigration.CubaDominican RepublicA shift in orientation from the 1970s.Increase in urbanization.In 1970s Haiti was 85% rural

Increase in outmigrationDominican RepublicU.S.A and CanadaBahamas and other Caribbean islands

27Public and private institutions: service providers or predators?The need for systems that convert funds into services.

The State: origins and evolution

3 major historical actors: The State: governmentthe Corporation: private sectorand the Church: religious institutionsAppearance of the NGO (Non-Governmental Organization)

28The Haitian StateAutocratic military originsAbsence of service or human rightsSystemic functions: extraction and controlLeta grangouContrast between Trujillo and DuvalierContrast between Dominican and Haitian reactions to their StatesPa bay leta kob-la. Ya manje-l. Nou pap jwenn. 29Personal post-earthquake observationsThe majistra and the U.N. relief vouchers.

The Haitian and Cuban physicians

The confiscation of a bottle of glue.

30The foreign-aid establishmentThe U.N. in post WWIIMultilaterals vs. bilateralsThe era of government-to-government aidForeign aid as major source of predationAgroforestry Project and the shift to NGOsRevisionist history: NGO competitors to blame for Haitian government failure.

31The publicly-funded NGO: Service provider or predator?The rise of the Beltway Bandit.

The hybrid NGO

Cashing in on poverty: profitable Non-Profits.

The RFP: top-down ideological project design.

Contractors responsive to foreign funder.

The top-heavy budget: overhead, expenses, salaries, vehicles, etc.

Consortia: Negotiating your cut of the pie.

32Privately-funded NGOsSmall church groups involved with Haiti.

Volunteer self-financed trips to Haiti.

Texting donations

33Philosophical gatekeepers: the case of trees in HaitiReforestation Misplaced pedagogy: Teach a man to fishWatershed management: the devastated landscape as major concernEcological justice ?????Develop their character; make em pay for it: how to kill tree planting.

34Summary of gatekeepingSources of blockagePublic sector kickbacks Predatory customs blockagesTop-heavy, self-serving USAID and NGO budgetsTop-down philosophically driven mis-planning.Shared element: out of touch with village-level or street-level needs.Caution: avoid spitball anthropology. Assume that institutions can improve performance.Only Haitians can improve GOH performance. Outsiders can and should insist on more rational and effective performance by donors and NGO implementers.

35Avoiding the gatekeepers:Project optionsTrees and farming: Agroforestry Outreach Project

Female credit: Fon Koze

Health care delivery: Zanmi lasante

World Bank: $15,000 grants to communities

The small Thomazeau school program36The larger picture:If I had $1 billion to spend.Divide it into 10 regional funds of $100 million each to create regional poles that would draw people from Port-au-Prince. One and only one fund would go to Port-au-Prince for rubble, garbage, sewage, etc. Each regional fund would be subdivided into Public infrastructure: roads, water, electricity, garbage collection. Public works jobs a major short term component. Agricultural fund: irrigation, erosion control structures.Credit, particularly for female market women.School support, both public and private.Health care (including physician and nurse training)Others

37Who would manage the regional funds?Who would implement the activities?Fund management: mixed foreign and Haitian.Separate activities would be subcontracted.A small but sufficient percentage would be allocated to local municipal authorities.Local consultation as to priorities.The bulk would be allocated on a competitive contractual basis to organizations (Haitian or foreign) with proven track records in selected domains (e.g. health, education, credit). They would be allowed to budget a maximum of 15% for organizational costs. The rest has to be budgeted for bona-fide outputs. Otherwise the proposal gets thrown in the garbage pail. 38Current contributions of UFOne of the best library collections on HaitiCreole language program: largest in the country. College of Public Health and Health ProfessionsIFAS (WINNER)Individual faculty as consultantsHaiti working groupClub Creole Haitian student groupUF medical student trips to Haiti (in past)

39Potential contributions of UFGoal: become THE premier center of Haiti scholarshipEnergetic Haiti-related grant applications. Search for a Haiti related endowment.Scholarships for Haitian students.Special support for Haiti-related theses and dissertations.Haitian publication series.Targeted faculty hires .Increased course offerings.Minor or Certificate in Haitian Studies

40The role of Gainesville?A sister/city relation between Gainesville and Jacmel.Gainesville aid to Haiti is often faith-based. Parish to parish support, both Catholic and ProtestantPersonal contributionsPersonal visitsThe complicated issue of evangelization with public funds. 41Potential role of the diasporaMajor perceived obligation: support of kinRemittancesAssistance in the migratory processTemporary lodging in the U.S.Assistance in settling inPossible support in home communitiesSchools?Credit? Others?Return to Haiti in a professional capacity. 42Conclusion: Haiti imagined

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