Wednesday marks the one year anniversary of Haiti’s catastrophic earthquake. And so far, it’s been a painstakingly slow road toward recovery. We’re taking a look back at the past year and all that’s happened: the recovery — or lack thereof; presidential elections, and the violence that followed; the country’s back-and-forth saga with international aid; the more recent deadly outbreak of cholera; and how history, not just circumstance, may be to blame for all of it. Also be sure to read Michelle Chen’s Global Justice column on the lessons learned over the past twelves months.
A woman walks by the rubbles of a building that collapsed after the earthquake in Port au Prince on January 12, 2010. Photo Marco Dormino/ The United Nations
Jan 14,2010. Port-au-Prince, Haiti. UN Photo/Logan Abassi.
Haitian Red Cross volunteer Miname Glaude holds Michel Laurent (15 months) at a Red Cross medical center in Croix de Priez. Photo: Creative Commons/American Red Cross
Port-au-Prince Haiti, January 20, 2010 Photo: Creative Commons/newbeatphoto
La Piste cholera observation centre, Haiti. November 10, 2010. Photo: Creative Commons/British Red Cross
Haiti election protests, Dec. 8, 2010. Photo: Creative Commons/digital democracy
One year later, hundreds of thousands of people still live in temporary shelters. Jan. 8, 2011. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images