Haiti

Over 11 million people call Haiti home, but roughly 80% of Haitians live beneath the poverty line and only about 60% of Haiti’s residents are literate (CIA World Factbook). To put this in perspective, imagine if 4.8 million of Maryland’s residents lived in poverty.

Throughout Haiti, less than 60% of primary school-aged children are enrolled. Of these students 40% may drop out before the end of 9th Grace due to financial and other factors. (CIA World Factbook) Approximately 20% of eligible students are enrolled in secondary school, so this opportunity is highly valued. While there is no tuition to attend public school, there are fees for textbooks, uniforms, supplies, etc. International private schools, primarily run or funded by foreign missions and churches, educate 90% of Haitian students.