The Republic of Haiti has been an autonomous nation sice 1805, yet living conditions for many Haitians have gone unchanged for those 200 years.

• More than 80% of the country's population lives
  in dire poverty.


• For every 10,000 citizens there is one
  practicing physician.


• Only 30% of the population has consistent employment.


• 85% of the population is illiterate.


• 90% of Haiti's schools are private institutions with
  high monthly tuitions, unaffordable for most, leaving only 35% of all children access to a formal education.

Dame Marie, the heart of the Lakou Demokrasi Project, is located in the western part of GrandD'Anse, 60 kilometers from the city of Jeremie. Dame-Marie is home to 36,000 people. Reaching Dame Marie from the Haitian capital of Port Au Prince takes 14 hours by sea and 18 hours by road, when not raining.

Agriculture and fishing are the economic mainstays in the community. The land and sea do offer much potential, but profit margins are barely beyond sustainance due to outmoded equipment, lack of proper storage and poor transportation.

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