As food prices soar, impoverished Haitians are resorting to eating cookies made of mud.
Made from dirt, salt and vegetable shortening, the cookies – which are regularly used by pregnant women and children as an antacid and source of calcium – have become a regular meal for Haitians desperate to satisfy hunger.
In Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, 80 percent of the population lives on less than $2 a day. The mud cookies sell for around five cents each, compared to 60 cents for two cups of rice.
What is the U.S. doing to help? Rep. William Thomas [R-CA] introduced the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act of 2006 as part of the tax-and-trade bill. The bill never became law. Fortunately, that may have been a good thing. The Haiti Progres stated that the bill failed to imposes labor standards instead imposing patronizing, and burdensome conditions on the Haitian people:
Although the undersigned Haitian activists welcomes the US bipartisan desire to assist Haiti with job creation that is evidenced by the passage of the legislation, we continue to denounce the legislation’s neoliberal conditions that enrich only the few while further impoverishing the many; its failure to ensure labor standards, workers’ rights, enforcement and employer accountability.
According to Dan Beeton, International Communications Coordinator for the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) in Washington D.C.:
“Throughout Haiti’s history, the U.S. has usually been a bad neighbor, invading and occupying the country several times, propping up dictators, and at times blocking economic assistance to the country. A number of economically damaging policy prescriptions have originated in Washington as well, including privatization of state industries and the promotion of export processing zones that hamper the development of Haitian industry and generate little revenue…Considering the history of the U.S.’ relationship with Haiti, Americans owe it to the Haitian people to support their right to organize independent trade unions and advocate for policies that will foster real and lasting economic development.”
For ways you can help Haiti, visit the Lambi Fund of Haiti.
this is really shocking and saddening …. i had no idea.
no idea.
@ BlackSuede
Déja pour l’autre personne quand tu traduit! Traduit bien s’il te plait! Parceque l’anglais un peu Fucked Up c’est Pas trop ça
Btw, we tryin’ tu share our ideas in french, we know that y’all don’t speak French and we r sorry for That.
Anyway we were just tryin to underline the fact that we still in 2OO8 and ppl r eating Dirt while we are throwing away leftover food ..
Pour revenir à ce que tu dis Panam (Yeah I know Im speaking Again french cuz he don’t Understand English)
Je suis toutà fait d’accord avec toi, plusieurs personnes peuvent aider mais c’est surtt à nous d’apporter une aide puis de communiquer sur ce qui se passe..
while celebrities are making money, ppl r looking for sumthing to eat! how funny!
@178
I’m happy that you were expecting a comment like that from me. The bottom line is that nothing can be solved when our people ask questions that they already know the answers to or don’t want the answers to. “That’s so sad” is not going to do a damn thing and it’s not gonna cut it. Everytime a serious issue occurs it’s 150 comments of “that’s so sad”. It’s pathetic and it’s indicative of how pitiful our people’s mindset is. This is why things like this are happening and will continue to happen. Stupidity is encouraged in our community and it shows when our people are faced with travail and cannot cope with reality. They’ve had fundraisers for Africa, AIDS, and cancer for years, billions of dollars reaped and no results. If you want to put your dollar in, put it in. My thing is, what does money have to do with the systematic economic denial of a country? What has happened to black people, in my opinion, is that our people have been inundated with so many effeminate, caucasian-sponsored, and compromised “leaders” in the last 50 years that they don’t know up from down or where to start when adverse situations present themselves. Blacks get bamboozled with this nonsense about “it’s not a race issue, it’s a class issue”, so now we think that everything can be solved with money or more money. It can’t and it won’t.
Man.dats really sad!! but there”sum other dirts i’ve heard they been eatin also!! y Lord???
I am Haitian and I think it is so wonderful of you to post this. Thank you! Not very many people will comment on the situation much less provide an honest and accurate depiction. Thank you.
@ Judah,
Wow a lot of what you said was powerful and unfortunately, painfully true. I’m just curious in regards to your last paragraph about Haitian women, what are your sources? I can’t believe that this type of abuse is going on and aboslutely no one has reported it.
im 100% haitian…almost everyone i know is hatitan…so this def. hits home.
i just want everyone to know how hardworking and educated hatians are if they are just given the chance.literally evryone i know who has emigrated here from haiti has worked their ASSESSS off to go to college and become succesful,not only haitians but immigrants in general.my father is a psychiatrist and my mother is a nurse.The majority of black doctors in America are Haitian, so we are definitely talking about an educated people.
i wish they could just get the help they need because they def. deserve it
Hatians are a special people. So talented, intelligent, artistic and spiritual. THey fought for their independence over 200 years ago and won it. Their country has been left out of trade policies ever since. We are at a tipping point in humanity. There is no reason why anyone should starve with all of the food we have in the U.S. Maybe if we share it, we can reduce our obesity crisis? Just a thought. God Bless Haiti.
I am deeply sadden by this news. It makes me sick to my stomach knowing that my people are out there suffering. Something must be done. It is the end of the world and the Lord is coming soon. During these end days we most really put our attention on what really matters. Helping Haiti has always been urgent. But more than ever in this new year we must do something about it. People seriously if you want to help, then do something about it! I urge you to please spread this news and have other people involved with making a difference. Furthermore, I encourage everyone to take a close look at themselves. Look at your own eating habits, shopping habits and spending habits. Be grateful for what you have and always do your part to give back. God has been so good to us. Let’s count our blessings and give back to those who are in need.
I dont believe in the gov. in haiti. the government in haiti is taking all the money and instead of spending the money on the country of haiti they spend the money on themself. I think it is sad to have them kids eating mud cookies. im in the eighth grade and i do not believe in starving kids. their government in haiti is rediculus
First that Ive heard of this…
all I can do is quote the words of the late Tupac Shakur…”they got money for wars, but cant feed the poor”…this is so so sad, it really is. Surely something can be done…no one should have to endure eating dirt/mud. Wow……….
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This is terrible. I almost wonder how they taste?
These people need our help. Plenty of Americans wasting their money on ring tones, cigarettes food that they dont eat.
Change is necessary.
Vote Obama
This kind of stuff happen constantly. We can all do something but some are to lazy to do anything about it. We should have found raisers and then donate the money to an orphanage or even a family!!!!!!!!!!!
couuld some one help me??
im doing my pubic speech on this at school and i need more infomation.
do they eat tree bark aswell?
i think it said so in LOOK magazine
please help
xx