The Island
A mountainous island with a population of 100,000 located 45 miles off the coast of mainland Haiti and accessible by a 2 hour boat ride, La Gonâve is one of the most economically deprived regions within a country considered the poorest in the Western Hemisphere where the average annual income for a family is less than $440. The 40 mile island province is a rocky, dusty place with virtually no roads. The people on the island are dependent on each other and exemplify a strong sense of community and a faith in God’s love.
Click to view The Faces of La Gonâve
Haiti
• a country of 8.3 million - 80% living in rural villages.
• Unemployment at 80-85%.
• average income is $440 a year or $1.20 per day.
• 42% under the age of 14 with life expectancy at birth of 50-52 years.
• agricultural economy with limited export market.
• 42% of children under 5 are malnourished and literacy rate of 45%
