More than 200,000 people perished in the recent catastrophic earthquake in Haiti. Much of the nation’s infrastructure has also been damaged and destroyed. The numbers are staggering but there is hope. Haiti’s youth are its future and through quality education today, they will become the nation’s leaders tomorrow.
In global markets, we seek out emerging markets to profit by. With Hedge Against
Poverty, we are applying the same principles and skills used in assessing
favorite trades to find favorite charities operating in developing nations. Hedge
Against Poverty's recipient charities are selected with a markets based approach
- due diligence, on the ground research and careful performance based analysis.
This year, all monies raised will go to charities working to rebuild Haiti
through education.
Why Haiti?
Conscience - Haiti is a mere 90 minutes by plane from Miami but holds the unwanted
title of "poorest
nation in the western hemisphere". The daily life of a typical Haitian child is a struggle for survival: One in
five children will die of a preventable disease or illness before reaching
their 5th birthday, 50% of the population has no access to clean water, and
life expectancy is a mere 50 years while 80% of the population live on less
than a dollar a day. Education is a luxury. Only 2% have the opportunity
to attend university.
Window of Opportunity – The rebuilding of Haiti provides opportunity to finally
get things right. After decades of corrupt governments and periods of no
government during political crisis’, there is now a forward thinking, democratically
elected president in Mr. René Préval. President Préval has appealed to the
global community for help and Bill Clinton has been named UN Special Envoy
to Haiti. He was also recently charged with the responsibility to oversee
aid efforts as well as post quake reconstruction. With a population of just
8 million people, change is possible. Read more...
A Feasible Plan – Haiti’s education system has been plagued for decades due
to the constant political instability. The poorest neighborhoods have received
the worst schooling if they’ve received any at all. Artists for Peace and
Justice, led by Paul Haggis, is assuming the responsibility over rebuilding
50 schools in the most underserved neighborhoods. The schools will be built
well and they will provide unprecedented quality education, in addition to
meals and medical care. This program will serve as a model from which the
rebuilding of nation’s public educational system can follow.
Hope – Ciné Institute of Jacmel brings hope, optimism and new career opportunities to the youth of Haiti. The Institute is Haiti’s only professional film school. Institute students and graduates represent the birth of a new wave of Haitian cinema. Their talent and unique voices are a vital part of the nation’s future. Students become leaders in the creation of a new local economy through the production, distribution and exportation of locally made films. The value of a cinema based educational and economic development model is unprecedented as evidenced by the film industry in Nigeria, known as Nollywood - a $750 million per year industry, the country’s second largest employer next to oil.
PLAY A HAND FOR HAITI AND HELP THE POOREST COUNTRY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE GET OUT OF A VICIOUS CYCLE OF EXTREME POVERTY AND ONTO THE LADDER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.