Summary

“When it rains, filthy water and garbage fill our room. The house is leaking. There are a lot of big rats and mosquitoes. My children and I are sick. We caught cold, we have headache, and fever. Almost all of the people in the neighborhood are sick. I think it is because of the bad smell of the ravine, the dust, and the garbage in the ravine. We eat once a day and three or four days a week.” Casimir Marie Mika

Household

Casimir Marie Mika was born in June, 1977, in Jeremie, Haiti. She is 31 years old. She’s been living in Cite Soleil since 1986. At first, she was living with her aunt when she was a girl, but her aunt used to mistreat her. When her father knew the way that she was being mistreated, he took her from her aunt’s house.
“I have six children. Four boys and two girls. My first child the boy is Casimir Chaider. He is 15 years old. He was born on august 25, 1993 in Cite Soleil. The second, a girl, Fabienne Casimir is 13 years old. She was born on September 30, 1995. The third, a boy, is Casimir Kenson. He is 7 years old. He was born on august 23, 2001. The fourth, a girl, is Magnolitta Casimir. She is 5 years old. She was born on august 1, 2003. The fifth, a boy, is Ferlando Joseph. He is 3 years old. He was born on March 15, 2005. The sixth, a boy, Lovenson Laurian. He is 7 months old. He was born on November 9, 2008.
Among my children only Ferlando and Kenson are not living with me. Ferlando has been living in a foster house, since he has 2 years old.
Marie Mika explains: “This created a serious problem between me and Ferlando’s father who is living in Artibonite. I went to Artibonite and took Ferlando from his father to live with me in Cite Soleil for a while. One day, I went to Artibonite to visit Ferlando’s father, leaving Ferlando with my mother. When I returned to Cite Soleil, I didn’t see him. Then my mother told that she had abandoned him in a foster house in Croix des Missions.

Personal information

“My life is miserable. I have six children from six men. Chaider’s father has abandoned me since I was pregnant. Fabienne’s father died when she was 11 years of age. Kenson’s father is living with him in Cap Haitian. Magnolitta’s father is alive, but he almost never takes care of me. Lovenson’s father is living with me even if he doesn’t have enough possibility. He works in Artibonite on weekdays and he comes home every weekend.
Among the four children living with me, only Fabienne attends school. She goes to school every day. She loves school. She attends Parochial school (Sainte Anne) located in Cite Soleil. She is in ninth grade, in the school. There is a morning shift and a night shift. She goes in the night shift. I would really like that she obtains a college degree.
“My mother’s name is Romain Marguerite. She is living nearby. She sells salt to make a living. My father’s name is Casimir Louider. He is alive, but he is handicapped person. He is living in Lento 1 (Cite Soleil). He sells French fries to make living.
General Economic Situation
These days, I am not doing anything that can help me financially. At first, I used to sell clothes and dishes. I used to go to sell six days a week. Sometimes people buy a lot of things from me. Sometimes they don’t buy anything. I don’t like this business because it is too difficult for me. I have to carry a lot of things and crisscross a lot of streets on foot. It is tiresome. I was obliged to do it to survive.
I have brothers and sisters. They are living with my father.. Two of my brothers are working. One of my sisters is in business. She has a little shop in Lento 1. She sells clothes and sandals. One of my brother works at Sainte Catrine (hospital). The other works on Delmas, but I don’t know the name of the institution. They have been working for years. I don’t know about their income because I am in good terms with them.
Job opportunities:
To make a living, I don’t have many options. I don’t have a lot of things. Besides, I don’t have an advanced level of education. I am living in my own house. My father gave it to me. It is a one roomed house, but it is big. There is enough room for my children to sleep. The problem is that house is not to a raying that stinks. When it rains, filthy water and garbage fill our room. The house is leaking. I put plastic under the ceiling to prevent to drops of water from falling on us. There are a lot of big rats and mosquitoes. There isn’t any electric power because I don’t have the means.
Education
Marie Mika says, “I used to attend school when I was a girl. I quit when I was in third grade. I had a problem in my brain. I couldn’t continue with my studies. Hence, I don’t know how to read and how to write.
Health and Food:
My children and I are sick. We caught cold, we have headache, and fever. Almost all of the people in the neighborhood are sick. They caught cold; they have fever, and headache. I think it is because of the bad smell of the ravine, the dust, and the garbage in the ravine. We eat once a day and three or four days a week. Sometimes, we find a can of rice and beans and I cook for my family. Sometimes, I give to my neighbor’s children.

Community information

There is a cistern of water, but I don’t find water everyday in it. When there is water, I can buy a bucket for 3 gourdes [US $8 cents]. When there is no water in the cistern, I buy a bucket for 7 gourde.
Health care situation
There is a hospital, Sante Catrine. There is another one named Chapi. It costs $20ht [$2.85 US] to see a doctor. It is 20 minutes walking. I would like to send my sick children to see a doctor, but I can’t. Because I can’t pay.
Education system and opportunities
There is a school nearby, Jehovah Nisei. The entrance fee is 250 gourde [US $6.75] and the tuition per year is $230 Ht [US $32.00]. There is no school for adults.
Legal political
We are safe here. We don’t have problems with anybody.
Economic situation of the community
There is a market three miles away. There is a church where we are worshipping God.

Personal qualities and Dreams

I love my neighbors, my relatives. I don’t like to argue, to fight and I don’t get angry easily. I mind only my own business. I’m courageous. I like to share. My mother always says that I’m polite and that I love her. My children say that I’m severe, that I love them. I’d really like my children to go to school. I’m really interested in business.
I can do laundry very well. I can iron and cook. Any time I cook, my friends congratulate me. However, I’d like to move to a new neighborhood. I want to improve my living. I would feel comfortable if I wee running my own business.
I’m Christian. I believe that God will help me improve my way of living. I’m honest. I try to love other people as I love myself. I’d like anybody interested in helping me to know that I will be very grateful toward him or her. I will pray that God bless him or her abundantly. I will be delighted to know, talk to him or her.
I’d like him or her to become my best friend.
Dreams
What is deepest in my heart are a lot.
What I care most about: I see some of the children in our nation are living well with their parents. Their parents have possibilities to send them to school. Me I can’t because I was born in a poorest family. I have no help. I want to feed my children well, I cannot, that is my problem. I think a lot about my poverty. Sometimes I feel relaxed but I cannot. Sometimes I’d like to go to sell on the market but I don’t have money to buy things to resell. The value truly important for me is having something belonging to me. I cannot imagine any future because I don’t have anything belonging to me. I think to do business but it not easy to begin because I don’t have money. With a little money I can do a lot because I know how to make business. If I found about $700 Ht [US $100] I can achieve my dreams slowly.
My qualities are: Sincere, polite, laborious, patient.
My talent is doing business. One thing more nationalist. I want to tell you I need a lot of things to make me joy.

Sponsorship plan

Immediate needs:
Food and medicine
Development:
$ 700 Ht to create a small business.
Send some of the children to school and send some at vocational skill to learn sewing, cooking skills.
Dreams:
She wants to have a food store. Send some of the children finish their classical school and become important person in the society.

Interview details

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