• Ilio Durandis is founder of Haiti 2015 and writer for the Haitian Times.
• The cholera epidemic has become more widespread throughout the country.
• He says Haiti is a “broken society,” but all of the resources to get Haiti right are within the country.

Eleven months after the earthquake in Haiti the problems continue. Last month’s cholera outbreak continues to spread, the contested election sparked protests and people living in tents have no end in sight.

We spoke with Ilio Durandis, founder of Haiti 2015 and writer for the Haitian Times and Haiti Rewired, for a progress report on Haiti.

What’s happening with the cholera epidemic? Last I saw the death toll was up to 1,800, though it’s dropped off the media’s radar. Is this a continuing problem?

Since we last spoke, the cholera epidemic has become more widespread throughout the country. Now, many reliable sources have claimed that it has taken hold of the whole territory, whereas government officials have yet to validate those claims. Although the elections have taken a front seat in most media outlets, the epidemic is only getting worse and taking more lives as a result. It is definitely the most pressing threat facing the Haitian people today.

The one-year anniversary of the quake is coming up. Will people still be living in tents? How long will the camps be around?

Indeed a month from now, we will remember all those who are no longer with us due to the earthquake, and be reminded once again of the subhuman conditions of those in the tent cities. For people not living in the tents, it might seem that one year has quickly passed, but for those living the harsh reality, it feels like an eternity. Some estimates have put it that there are more people living in tents today than there were two months after the quake. No one knows for sure how long people will live in tents, but at this rate it would not surprise me that 10 years from now we still have tent cities in and around Port-Au-Prince.

Will the resolution of the recent election bring any hope to Haiti? Or was there little hope in politics in the first place?

What resolution? First and foremost, these were no elections, but rather a fake electoral demonstration. No good resolution can come from something that was clearly staged by a few. With all that said, there is still the possibility of making a much worse decision in the days ahead with the results. There is still time to give the perception that the voice of the people has been respected, and that could be used to foster a new beginning of hope. No nation can put the hope of a better tomorrow on politics alone. In the case of Haiti, giving its history and betrayals by its past leaders, the majority of the population neither believes in politics nor the political system. It is time to see past political fiasco, and focus on the real society, where people are eager and available to contribute in their own future.

What is working in Haiti?

I wish that I could tell something is working, but the truth is nothing is working. We have a country heading straight to the abyss of destruction. The most basic and important institution in every society, the family is practically broken. We have many children living with someone other than their birth parents, often in slave-like conditions. Women are being marginalized and often are not well represented in the public discourse. On a macro-scale, all the major public institutions are either non-existent or filled with corruption. Some people might be sympathetic to the work of some non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and might point this as one area that looks like it’s working, but in my opinion, the NGO industry-complex fared no better than the Haitian public institutions.

It’s not like I want to be a pessimist, but this is the reality. We have a broken society anyway we look at it top-down or bottom-up, but the possibility to get something to work has never been better than they are today. All of the resources to get Haiti right are within the country; it is now a matter of aligning them all and makes the engine turns towards development and progress.

It seems like Haiti has a long history of getting the short end of the stick, whether it’s from the international community or local leaders turning their back on the people. Is that finally changing now or has the earthquake just brought more of the same?

You are correct in your assertion that the history of Haiti has been directly marred in the malevolence of the international community and the country’s corrupted or sell-out leaders. The earthquake could have been the catalyst that put in motion all those potential energies that have been stored within the society, but as that moment is quickly becoming history, it is very likely that Haiti and Haitians are missing a key opportunity to bring real change for all. The reconstruction process is extremely slow, and very un-organized, and on top of that the threat of epidemics like cholera is threatening people like never before. It now seems that the solidarity that the world had shown to Haiti in the immediate aftermath has somewhat dissipated, and sadly the country is reverting back at a rapid rate towards the same failing experiments of the past. The last elections are proof that Haiti’s leaders still don’t get it, and that the time for them to put country above all personal interest has finally come.

What can we do to help Haitians? Are there specific organizations you can recommend?

Haiti needs strong institutions capable of making people believe in the state and their future prospect in society. People outside of Haiti can help in many ways, some on the micro-level by sponsoring a child and helping with their education and making sure they are fed at least one good meal a day. On a macro-level, Haiti needs the help of technocrats who know how to get things done, not so much on the theoretical side, but more on a practical approach. We need engineers, medical technicians, social entrepreneurs, social educators, journalists and all other kind of technicians. Haiti needs a core of social volunteers composed of Haitian diaspora and friends of Haiti that would also make room to transfer knowledge to Haitians within the country.

One of the ways people who want to help can do so is by partnering with social organizations like Renewal 4 Haiti that works in providing sustainable healthcare to communities and is Haitian-led and operated. For example those interested in providing a hand in the education sphere, they can partner with Fireside International, which has an idea that can revolutionize access to education not only in Haiti, but also in other part of the world. There are many great Haitian-led initiatives that can use the involvement of others, such as the Zafèn project by Fonkoze, which is a leader in microfinance in Haiti, and Ecole du Village in Ile-a-Vache that is currently being supported by a hometown association.

If anyone would like more ideas of how their help could have the most impact they could always contact me either from Twitter (@durandis) or via my website. People need to get involved with very small community based organizations within Haiti for maximum impact and seeable results.

Are there specific things we can do beyond donating money?

Money is only a small part of the equation. As the founder of Haiti 2015, I rarely think of asking people for money as a way to support the Haitian people. Yes, many people need money, but more importantly people need the resources that can help them create their own wealth.

One specific thing that all of Haiti can benefit right now would be an initiative where a group of educators could come together to tutor and mentor young Haitians, and hopefully give them the basic training in a trade that could help them create their own opportunities or work for an established organization. Training in basic healthcare, emergency responders, English language, waste management, construction, etc. are all things that can help move Haiti forward right now. All it takes are volunteers with the right set of skills and the will to see their effort to completion.