News Everywhere. Haiti August 1, 2021

Host Ron Smith, MD interviews Joseph “Simi” Similien from Haiti. Simi founded the Make A Difference Worldwide Institute in Port-au-Prince when he was a tent city leader following the 2010 Haitian earthquake. We text back and forth often, and here are his responses to questions that should be helpful when trying to understand what is going on there right now.

Question 1. I’m interested in whether the roads are open between Port-au-Prince and Jeremie. I know you were born and raised there, too. What is the importance of Jeremie, and how are the roads affecting travel to and from Port-au-Prince?

Question 2. You told me that there are really two classes of Haitians based on the color of their skin. While Americans think of all Haitians as black ethnicity, you explained that’s not so. Help us understand which ethnicity is in power and which is not, and how that affects Haiti economically.

Question 3. Few know much about the Make A Difference Worldwide Institute. Can you tell us a little about the school and what your vision is for it?