Rice Oil Beans Charcoal Prices Haiti Soar Post Earthquake

Diri, Pwa, Chabon, Sik Blan Costs Rise in Cap-Haitien

Hello Everyone,

If you are poor in Haiti, It costs you more to cook and eat if you are middle class in Canada.

Though the cost of staples in Haiti -- rice, beans, oil -- and charcoal needed to cook them have risen dramatically in the past few years, they have risen more since the quake in January.

Here are some examples of what these basic items cost in Cap-Haitien as of February 19, 2010. For those purists who disagree with my interpretation of gode and marmite, please trust my experience, as Haitian market measurements do not comply with international standards.

Quantities, Measurements
1 gode (pronounced goday) is about one cup;  There are 6 gode in 1 marmite, and 19 marmites in 1 gwo sak (Large sack).

Exchange Rates HTG to USD
On Monday, February 15, 2010, Fonkoze Bank gave an exchange of 38.2 HTG (Haitian gourdes) = $1 USD (US dollar). (See this post for details.) To add to the currency mix in Haiti, the Haitian dollar is also used: $1 Haitian is about 5 HTG or $7-$8 USD.

When buying rice, we get a break by buying the large bags. Nobody gets a break buying beans. These are today's prices (18/FEB/10). Tomorrow will bring a different set of numbers.

Using these rates, as we had to this week, this is what rice, beans, sugar, oil and charcoal cost: 

RICE (diri) : 61 US cents for 1 cup of rice;  $10.17 US for 1 marmite rice, $50 US for a large bag of rice.

When I first came back to Haiti in 1998, 1 gode diri (one cup of rice) cost 3 HTG; The price had since gone up up to 11 HTG; On Tuesday, it was 22 HTG, and Wednesday, one cup of rice cost 23 HTG.

1 gwo sak diri (large bag of rice, approximately 19 marmites) costs $380 Haitian (about $55 USD). Four years ago we thought it outrageous when the price of rice climbed to $250 Haitian ($36 USD) per large bag.

BEANS (pwa): 1 gode pwa (cup of beans) costs 30 HTG (79 cents US); 1 marmite costs $34 Haitian ($4.47 US), and a large bag beans costs $84.93 US.

COOKING OIL: 1 gallon cooking oil costs $60 Haitian ($7.90 US) for the cheapest brand.

SUGAR (sik blan): 1 gode sik blan (1 cup white sugar) costs 66 US cents.

CHARCOAL (chabon) : One marmite (enough to cook one meal) costs $8 Haitian or 40 HTG, or just over $1 US.

A marmite of chabon (charcoal) costs 25 HTG on a good day. The price goes up to 35 HTG per marmite when it rains. Using the 38.2 exchange rate per USD, that would be 92 cents US or almost a dollar for a small amount of chabon which may or may not be sufficient to cook the rice and beans. If the beans are tough (as often happens), one needs a larger amount of chabon to boil them long enough to be edible.

We have the luxury of buying charcoal in quantity,  and so usually pay less per portion. The cost of chabon will settle if we have a few days of sun.

We will begin packing the rice, oil, beans in smaller portions and distributing them to the students this week.

As the above amounts and prices show, the high cost of food and charcoal is a nig reason why the poor of Haiti are malnourished and sick: They have no job and no income, so cannot buy food.

And remember, these are just a few of the staple items; not a balanced diet, which is why we add, when we can, foods like peanut butter with protein powder mixed in, and supplement with vitamins.

Until next time,

Blessings,
Sharon

Rice, Beans, Oil Budget Food Distribution Cap-Haitien and Sen Rafayel Haiti

Hello Everyone,

Here is the current food price list from Cap-Haitien, Haiti, for foods needed to relaunch the food distribution program at Lakay Fondasyon. Starthrower hopes to be able to run this program from now until the end of Haiti school exams, roughly the second week in July.

Here are the amounts need so that we would be able to distribute one sack of food with enough rice and beans for 2 days to each student. (They receive only enough for these two days. To receive food for one week, triple the amounts.) Students in turn are responsible for finding a cooking pot, fuel and fire starter. Total amounts are doubled to include distribution in Sen Rafayel as well as in Cap-Haitien.

Starthrower helps support 51 students in Cap-Haitien and 51 in Sen Rafayel. These students, in turn, will share their food with another 3 or 4 people each. So this food distribution means these 102 young people and approximately 300 neighbors/relatives will eat. These numbers are conservative compared to the survey we took last year.

Conversion rates for the gud (gourde) fluctuate between 35 and 39, I have used the median of 37 to $1 USD [See HTG-USD conversion post; NB Today: $1.00 USD = 39.6650 HTG.]

Using the figures below, for the initial start-up week of the food distribution program, we need $212 USD for the students in Cap-Haitien and another $212 USD for students in Sen Rafael ($424 USD total). A case of oil lasts for two weeks; we buy the bags needed for distribution in the first week and they last for months, so startup costs a bit more.

For each consecutive week of the program, we need $150 USD each for Cap-Haitien and Sen Rafayel ($300 USD total).

Additional costs to distribute/manage the food distribution will be about $10-$15 USD / week for staff to travel to/from the market in Cap-Haitien, and $40 USD per week for Sen Rafayel staff to travel down/up the mountain to Cap-Haitien to pick up and deliver the foods prepackaged in Cap-Haitien.

Also, we will hire a student part time, if necessary, to help with this food packaging and distribution. Travel and extra staff salary will be paid for out of the general fund; donated funds for food will be used for the food program only. As the duration of the program will be brief, and we have the space, it is economically more feasible to purchase/package everything in Cap-Haitien.

Total for 10-week food distribution program:
May 4, 11, 18, 25 and June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and July 6 is estimated $3,124 USD. If donating through the web site, please specify Food Distribution Program.

We usually stop the food distribution program over the summer months, when school is out, and we direct resources to the text book restoration/distribution program that provides summer jobs for about 25 students in Cap-Haitien.

Prices will fluctuate but this is a good ballpark estimate. Thanks to those who have swiftly responded to my plea on behalf of the students in Haiti. I hope these figures help you in your fundraising efforts. Please contact us if you need anything explained, or more information.

Below find the original message from Auguste, Lakay Fondasyon manager in Haiti; I have translated for those interested in Kreyol.

Kenbe,
Sharon
* * *

Bonswa, Manmi
Good Afternoon, My mother

A-Mwen kontan tande ou. Nou pa pi mal.
I'm happy to hear from you. We are not too bad.

Jacques te gen fyev semen pase. Nou gen kek jen ki malad mwen voye yo nan lopital Justien et nan klinik lan.
Jack had a fever last week. We have several sick youth whom I sent to Justinien Hospital and the clinic.

Tisab te gen parasite mwa pase. Sanble Joli vle malad osi l'ap grate anba kou li komanse fe blese. Nou va tcheke veterine.
Tisab (our smallest dog) picked up parasites last month. It seems Jolie (our big sister dog although they are the same age) is also sick as she has been scratching under her chin and it bleeds. We will check with the vet. (This will take place when Jack is well and the vet is in Cap)

Kisa / pri inite / kantite chak semen
Item / price unit/ weekly amount
Gwo sak Jumbo :1850 Gdes 1 sak edmi =2775 gdes
Mamit pwa nwa : 180 Gdes 10 manit =1800 gdes
Kes lwil :1500 gdes 1 kes =1500 gdes
Sache nwa et blan :1525 gdes (sa pou 12 mwa) =1525 gdes
Taxi 250 gdes
Total : premye semen = 7850 Gdes
NB: n'ap bezwen achte pou : 5575gdes chak semen

Nou te itilize chak semen :1sak edmi diri/ 10 mamit pwa/ 3 galon lwil.
Each week in Cap-Haitien we used 1 1/2 sacks rice (100 pounds), 10 marmites beans (approx. one quart each) and 3 gallons cooking oil.

Elorge et Marlene antre Okap jodia.
Elorge and Marlene came home (from university in the Dominican Republic) today.

Mwen te pale ak M.Britus, men nou gen randevou demen pou-n pale ansanm ak Sewoz paske M.Britus prale Ozetazini premye semen Mai.
I spoke with M. Brutus ( rental agent) and Sister Rosemary and I have a meeting with him tomorrow as he goes to the US the first week of May.

Mesi
God bless you. Later

Auguste

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Food Costs Rising Fast in Haiti, Donations Arrive

Hello Everyone,

Just a few things to update you on while I have access to email and before tomorrow comes with new happenings.

We sent Jean Ricot to the clinic on Friday to have his blood pressure tested as it has been constantly high with severe headaches since the motor scooter accident last April. ( see original post and update August post). They asked a few questions and ran a few tests, and found that he has malaria for the third time this year. He is about 5 feet tall and weighs less than a hundred pounds.

This persistent succession of illnesses takes such a toll on these young people. Apparently Jean has found a piece of floor where he can stay put for a while (with an aunt). Because he now has a relatively stable environment, Auguste and I are making a home visit tomorrow to see if there is enough space for a single bed and mosquito net. Everyone needs both, but due to cost, we purchase one at a time according to greatest need.

Sherline and Camiose are going on a school trip this week to Labadee to see the Fort ruins, etc. Thanks to our newly arrived shipment from NJ we were able to out fit each with running shoes and socks, and thanks to donations from Penn., they also have jeans and white Tshirts.

For those of you interested in the history of Haiti, there is an article in the January 2008 issue of The Smithsonian on my friend, amateur archaeologist Clark Moore, who has done much to advance knowledge of the history of Haiti. I stayed with Clark and his wife Pat 5 years ago before we found our current house.

Today, I unpacked the running shoes which arrived with the rest on Friday (Sherline and Camiose got me started). I put the cartons out back when we were finished unpacking. We always use them for something. Then Erzilia came in when finished work (she does food prep and distribution with Dieugrand) and asked if she could have 2 of the largest cartons. I remembered our visit to her one room shack which she shares with her 3 younger brothers. The room attached to theirs was separated by thin paper. It houses another family.

I asked if she wanted the boxes to make a new wall, and she said yes, the paper has been wet and dry so many times it has rotted away, so neither family has privacy. When I say that nothing gets wasted here, I mean nothing. I am reminded of the Haitian proverb: "Piti piti zwazo fe nich li" (Little by little the bird makes its nest). She is such an amazing young person -- holding a family together after the death of her mom 2 years ago.

If I am ever tempted to feel sorry for myself because I am ill, or on my own here, or go without many things I normally have access to, I look at anyone of these young people and am lifted by their courage.

This is the fifth day with no hydro, so without the refrigerator operating on hydro, food is wasted and money has to be spent on ice for the fridge. Finally today, we have solar power and a signal.

Five of the students worked yesterday and today finishing the backbreaking work of manually breaking up the cement on the room (see previous post) carrying it down stairs in buckets and then taking it by the wheelbarrowful down to the street to fill in some of the potholes. We had to through our list of students to figure out who was healthy enough to work. Everyone wants to but with so many ill, we have to be practical as well as look out for their welfare. The weekend is their only free time.

One of the boys who worked was Kenson, a 16 year old orphan (no siblings) sent to us by another program in Cap. Jack said he worked harder than anyone, and he was so thrilled when he signed the pay book and received his wages. Those smiles are my reward.

Dieugrand went to the market to purchase bulk food which he and Erzilia package for Sun and Thurs distribution. (We are moving Sun distribution to Monday as I really need time to myself). He returned with insufficient food, so every one received less on Sunday, and no cooking oil or cooking charcoal (chabon), as prices had risen so dramatically. Last week, rice was $270 Haitian (nearly $40 US): This week, $390 Haitian (about $45 US). A'gode' of rice which the poor buy -- 1 cup -- was 10 gourdes ($2 Haitian) at Christmas time, and 25 gourdes ($5 Haitian) on Friday, The new customs regulations are a nightmare.

It's getting dark and I can run only one light with the solar panels, so I will go and set up for the night. I am able to run the solar extension into the first bedroom, giving me a lamp for reading and a laptop if I want to watch a DVD.

Note : We deleted dictionaries and scientific calculators from the Things We Need list as sufficient arrived on Friday, and more have already been collected and are awaiting shipment. We do however need pencil cases, backpacks and pens in addition to the list I sent last week. Many thanks, everyone!

Sharon