Faces of Haiti: Fenelot

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Her name is Fenelot Neolande.  She is a single mother.  Fenelot is a Haitian and this is her story.

Fenelot has given birth to eight children, all of whom still live with her.  Although she is raising a large family, none of her old boyfriends will commit to marry her or support them.

“I have no husband,” she said.  “Not one of the fathers have stayed with me.”

Like many fellow Hatians, the earthquake has made an already hard life harder for her.

“The earthquake has made my situation terrible,” Fenelot said.  “A lot of people here were affected and some die in their families.”

“We thought that God was shaking the earth.”

Fenelot survives because she has a job selling trinkets at a stand which provides a small income.  It is still, however, not enough to feed her family.  Fenelot systematically borrows money to pay for food and keep her debtors happy.  She has no plan to ever pay off her debts, nor does she feel she will ever be able.

“What we need from America,” she said, “Is a way to fund work for us so we can find opportunity and do things for our children.”

“Also houses would help.”

When asked if she thought the country would get better, she responded, “Only God knows.”