14 months after Hurricane Jeanne flooded Gonaives on September 18, 2004, the situation in the city of independence located about 106 miles north from the capital Port-au-Prince, is still devastating.
The daily life of many residents is a hassle with scene of trashes on the street, dirt, despair and hunger. Even people with ordinary life are suffering. “I'm living in very difficult conditions. I lost totally my business and I eat sometimes thanks to humanitarian aid provided by a non-profit organization”, said a 58-year-old woman who added to have anything since the deadly hurricane.“I have 4 children, I'm unemployed, I don't have money to send them to school. Imagine that my first kid who is 10-year-old has never been to school”, told a woman. There are no more salt marshes in this area. They have been destroyed by Hurricane Jeanne. Nothing has been done to help the workers to restore them, said the residents.
The only positive images seen in Gonaives are some people cleaning the sewers thanks to the efforts of some non-profit organizations established in the city.
The government seems to be working very slow. Some roads are being paved in some areas of the city. Constructions are noticed occasionally but people are still waiting for the government promises.
2,720 deads and missings, as well as 300,000 people in desperate need of humanitarian aid, according to an estimate revealed by the Civil Protection Bureau in Haiti.
Environmentally, Gonaives is a disaster with surrounding mountains eroded more than ever. Sewage in the city is still a mess along cleaning problems. Peasants continue to cut down trees, according to witnesses.
Along the road of “L'Estere”, town situated south of Gonaives, hundreds of wooden charcoal bags used for cooking by many families, are still noticed.
In “Latendrie” (lot bò kanal / the other side of the conduit) small locality located north of Gonaives, residents built themselves hazardous shelters with pieces of wood and cardboard. In this area, the devastated flood of September 2004 washed out half of the houses.
Today, nicknamed City Jeanne, this region offers a devastating image. The majority of the kids don't go to school, while schools in the center of the city of Gonaives are normally open.
