These are the images of the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake. The lack of food, water and shelter is compounded by the increasingly serious matter of health and sanitation. These concerns only exacerbate the social and economic problems, such as poverty and lack of infrastructure, that predate the quake. Survivors wait for aid that never arrives and try, in the meantime, to scavenge what they need to survive, even as they are angered and upset at the reports of looting that portray and condemn them as criminals.
The world’s interest was gripped by the tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti, but is already shifting away despite the development of ever increasing problems. Countless thousands are in desperate need of basic necessities; potable water, food, shelter, and medicine. They wait for aid that never arrives and try, in the meantime, to scavenge what they need to survive, even as they are angered and upset at the reports of looting that portray and condemn them as criminals, as if they had any other choice. In the words of Anatole France, "The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."
It must also be noted that on top of all the troubles before the quake that made life difficult for the average Haitian, from crushing poverty to lack of infrastructure - health and sanitation are now starting to become a major concern. Infections are increasingly a serious matter, as well as disease, as those injured in the quake are finding it nearly impossible to keep their wounds clean in the current situation. In addition, everyone’s immune systems are compromised due to stress and lack of proper nutrition. Each day, more and more people show up at hospitals, clinics, and volunteer medical sites.
Despite all this, there remains hope. They find hope in the surviving members of their families, in each other, and in their religion. They will live on and they will rebuild.