While continuing my research, I’ve come across some good articles that support my thesis and provide similar information to my previous findings. Although I am glad that there is some unity among sources over my topic, it has been hard to find the right information to fill in the gaps. This makes it challenging to create a full, coherent argument because I’m not exactly sure what these gaps are or what kind of information I need to fill them. I just feel as if I’m missing important informational links that could better my own understanding and enable me to make my own significant connections. And despite some unity of information, the different vocabulary and objectives of researchers make it difficult for me to know if I'm understanding correctly and drawing logical conclusions.

This map shows the regions supported by Partners in Health, locally known as
Zanmi Lasante. If funds went directly to this organization to maintain established
locations as well as expand to other regions of Haiti, significant positive changes
would most likely occur.
(http://www.pih.org/country/haiti)

Also, the articles I’m finding are somewhat broad in the solutions they suggest. Many have similar research conclusions about the inefficiency of natural disaster relief organizations, but the application of the suggested solutions would be hard to enact due to little specificity and the system that is currently in place. 

It’s a nice suggestion that more transparency among organizations about their objectives would be more beneficial for the recipients of relief efforts, but is this possible to enforce? 

At best, this solution is highly improbable. Also, although it seems there are better outcomes when local Haitian organizations are involved in any given disaster-response situation, it seems that outsider organizations do not often actively seek advice from, or partnerships with, these groups. (I hope to find more information about interactions between local and non-local groups and if the system promotes establishing relationships to share information and resources).

I am unsure if there are any policies that could improve this system (coordination between local and non-local groups), or the system in which organizations and donors interact and set priorities. Maybe if there was some type of incentive for non-Haitian groups to work with local ones or an incentive for organizations to align their agendas with the needs expressed by local officials then the billions of dollars raised towards the rebuilding of Haiti could be used effectively. But because most of the issues I am coming across in my research come down to the self-interest of many powerful organizations, and there is no way to change this common motive, solutions are not as easy as they appear. 

It is clear to me that intervention by government, or an entity of high authority, is necessary to spark positive changes. Unfortunately, the people fighting hardest for these changes are at the bottom of power pyramid.

 Many of us have seen and are saddened by the images of Haiti that flood our TV screens. We see devastation, destruction, and death. We hear about the disasters that destroy the homes and hope of Haitian citizens, and the debilitating poverty that affects thousands. Some of us may have even donated money towards relief efforts. But how many of us are aware of where these funds are going and how they are being used? 

I'm embarrassed to say how uninformed I was before I began my research, but I know I am not alone. We are misinformed by the media with images meant to bring in more profits to organizations. We are led to believe that we are providing billions of dollars worth of relief. Sadly, the reality is that the number of dollars being raised does not even remotely reflect the number of dollars being received by Haitian citizens.

Although I didn't choose to research Haiti out of pure curiosity (in fact, I drew the country out of a bag), I am glad to be researching this country. We had the opportunity in class to learn a little bit about the rich culture of Haiti. With some background knowledge and appreciation for the country already in my mind, the new information I came across was disheartening and alarming. When I began researching, it immediately became obvious that a great injustice is being done there. 

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and, to make matters worse, it seems to be a constant target for natural disasters. As debt and destruction pile up, more and more people become homeless and hopeless. But on top of these misfortunes, after the interventions of many nations there is somehow an even larger debt, a higher cost of living, and other new problems that come with the influx of foreigners. I do believe that intervention from other countries is necessary if we hope to pull Haiti out of debt and rescue its people from the effects of disaster, and I'm not saying that we currently aren't helping at all, but we are clearly doing some things wrong. Part of my research will be to find out what exactly it is we are doing wrong, and, hopefully, along the way I'll also come across some solutions.

Haiti has great potential, we just need to be a friend helping her get back on her feet, not kicking her down with our own self-interests.