Haiti

Haiti is the world's oldest black republic and the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. More than 65 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. The rule of Haiti's Duvalier family intensified the exploitation and corruption that began soon after black African slaves overthrew their French masters in 1804. When the Duvalier dictatorship ended in 1986, Haiti enjoyed a brief period of democracy. However, a military coup in September 1991 overthrew civilian President Aristide and crushed many Haitians' hopes for a better life.

With U.S. military intervention, Aristide was restored to office in 1994 and later transferred power to his elected successor. Currently, a small United Nations peacekeeping force remains in the country. Haiti remains at a critical juncture; a stable democracy and more equal distribution of resources have not been achieved to date. Many Haitians feel that the focus of the international community should be on systemic issues including education, health care and employment.

Haitian marketing organizations export a range of colorful handicrafts including a variety of painted cut metal items, painted wood items, unpainted cut metal decorations and crèches made from coconut shells. Many of the colorful decorative items are made from discarded 50-gallon oil drums, which are cut, chiseled, sanded and polished by hand.