Visiting Haiti for the first time, I was surprised by the expansion of agriculture practices in mountainous areas that are part of the island. Indeed, Haiti is not only the sea and beaches but also mountains that are rising over 1000 meters. In this part of the island, the weather was cooler, but the sun was stunning. Some areas were green while many others were rockier which made me understanding how deforestation can be a scourge for local farmers. In these remote areas, where traveling is difficult and communication means are limited, on-site medical assistance program provided by NGOs, such Enfants du Monde and Medico del Mundo (MdM Spain), to the local population is of high importance. In the region of Delatte, I was able to visit some pregnant women and others who have just had their baby and had benefited from the medical assistance program. It was a chance for me to chat, learn about their way of living and to visit their homes. Local residents often greeted us with smiles where ever I was. I keep very good memories of this trip which made me discover enthusiastic and strong people. People highly resilient and who were able to recover from natural disasters of these recent years. People who kept their ancient traditions and are till today sticking to their African origins after so many centuries of occupation and slavery. Some of them got use to local circumstances but they were still valuing their creole identity and remaining faithful to mystic voodoo practices with all its spiritual approaches including traditional medicine spiced with a touch of magic ! My warm thanks go to Enfant du Monde and to the entire local team of MdM Spain for their support during this amazing experience.
Learn more: https://slawoplata.com/
