Haiti Adoption

Way of Life

For most Haitians, daily life is a struggle for survival. An estimated 75 percent of the population lives in poverty. These people, many of whom farm small plots of poor mountain land, are often malnourished. Infant mortality is about 109 per 1000 births, life expectancy is only 45 years, and the incidence of diseases ranging from intestinal parasites to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is extremely high. Only about 41 percent of the population has access to safe drinking water, and only 25 percent has access to sanitary sewer systems. An elite group of about 10 percent, mostly professionals, enjoys a sophisticated, affluent lifestyle. This elite class has traditionally resisted all attempts to restructure the Haitian social system.