Haiti’s poor eat mud cookies
London: Cookies made of mud – that is what the poor in Haiti are being forced to eat, thanks to rising food prices in the Caribbean nation.
The biscuits, made from dried yellow clay mixed with water, salt and vegetable shortening or margarine, have become a staple for Haitians who are unable to afford even a plate of rice, The Daily Telegraph reported.
The cookies, known as “terre,” taste smooth but suck out the moisture from the mouth as soon as they touch the tongue, leaving an unpleasant earthy aftertaste that lingers for hours.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation recently declared a state of emergency in Haiti. According to the U.N. agency, food prices have gone up by almost 40 per cent in the wake of floods and crop damage caused by hurricanes.
Haitian doctors say people who depend on the biscuits for sustenance risk malnutrition. Dr. Gabriel Thimothee, executive director of the Health Ministry, said: “Trust me, if I see someone eating those cookies, I will discourage it.” — PTI
Source
The following aid agencies are accepting contributions to help Haiti's poor. The list is from InterAction, a coalition of aid agencies, which can be contacted at InterAction at 202-667-8227 or http://www.interaction.org.
ADRA International
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, MD 20904
(800) 424-2372
www.adra.org
AME-SADA
1134 11th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 371-8722
http://www.ame-sada.org
American Friends Service Committee
1501 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 241-7000
http://www.afsc.org
See all assisting agencies to help
Thankyou for the word, Lavish
Thursday, January 31, 2008
We Cannot Allow Our Brothers and Sisters to Eat Mud
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photo: 
Believe (Black Faerie) Dazjae(C)06
7 comments:
Damn, I send funds down there regularly via my father. I NEVER HEARD THAT STORY BEFORE. I am some what aware of the conditions and what's going on, but this story is sickening.
My cousin told me that when you go down there, you just feeled compelled to give a couple of appreciated dollars here and there.
On one sad note, the rampant violence in addition to mother nature cripples many communities. Hundreds of people died not too long ago from the recent torrents of 2006. I may be wrong on the date but I recall the reading the reports.
Anyway thanks for posting this information, I'm going to send it to some family and friends. Hopefully the next U.S. President does not feel the same way towards Haiti that the current one does.
Sad to read something like this. You would think the US/UN/World would step up to the plate (no pun intended).
Strange how they use their resources for war instead of feeding the hungry.
I think people are just now finding out about it. I hadn't heard of it before I saw Lavish post it.
Things have been ridiculous for some time but we seriously have to find a way as a collective to heal, and create a network that ensures the 'Underrepresented' receive their basic resource needs.
I have faith that we'll get there when we all brainstorm, mass meditate and seriously stand for the rights of everyone in the Global Village, before we get too comfortable with our 'possessions'.
Thanks for stopping through Vee and UrbanThought. It's good to connect with you.
Thank Bill Clinton and the International Corperate Industrial Complex:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FVlKY8Ispg
This is Randal Robison founder of trans-africa, which led the way for divestment from aparthied-South Africa in the 80's.
He's the author of An Unbroken Agony: Haiti, from Revolution to the Kidnapping of a President
He talks about what Clinton did to the Carribean economy at the 1:18 mark.
He talks about Hatians in particular at the 3:30 mark
His website: http://www.randallrobinson.com/
Not surprising. The Clintons are questionable folks.
You go far and beyond just reporting instances of poverty and crimes against humanity. Providing means for action.
Another blog I frequent shared this story but asked what can be done. I forwarded your piece as you always provide a means to DO SOMETHING.
In light and love
Danielle
Thankyou ^_^
I have my Mother to thank for that. I have been complaining about the state of the world and the abuses in organized religion/government since childhood (fortunately my Mother never tried to stop me from seeing what children see so clearly in developing years) and she said to me (paraphrasing):
'So what are you going to do about it?'
It was all I needed to hear to stop complaining and find some way to start doing.
Some of our actions that can seem so small can make an overwhelming difference, especially when it's millions of little drops filling the ocean.
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