As the economic situation in Haiti continues to worsen a number of women are leading the charge in making something positive of their lives despite the evident challenges. Haiti which is known as the world's poorest country because of its economic situation as been at the bottom of the social and economic ladder was further cemented when the country was hit by a devastating earth quake on January 12 which left thousands dead and many more displaced and homeless.
However, being also known for its resilience and determination a number of women are determined not to give up while also has no intentions of surviving through begging or theft. Thirty two year old Darline Exantus - Srery is one such woman. Exantus – Srery who speaks English very well said that there were justifications for her to give up and join a life of crime and other ills but opted to continue trying due to the fact that she have two kids to live for.
Exantus – Srery lost her husband of two years as a result of the earthquake. Recounting the ordeal an emotionally looking young lady said that a few days prior to the incident, she and her husband had a misunderstanding and in an effort to 'cool', himself off he went to his brother's home where he was staying.
Darline recalled that on the day of the earthquake she had spoken to her husband as is customary. "I had spoken to him on some issues that we needed to have addressed and like every other day it was a normal conversation that we had," she said. Pausing for a few minutes with a blank look on her face Darline said that she wished if she knew that it was going to be the last time that she spoke to her husband as forever she will always remember the last moments. "I am still sad over his death as now I know how hard my husband really worked for us. He worked very hard each day to feed us and now he is gone. Maybe if we hadn't had the argument and he moving out maybe he would have still be alive," she said.
She said that while her husband and some of his brothers were in the house talking the earthquake came knocking the house with its occupants down. Her husband was instantly killed after he was crushed under the weight of the roof. She said it was a miracle that no one else died as all the brothers received were injuries, non life threatening. "He died instantly as he was crushed by the weight of the roof, strange that no one else died," Darline said.
She said that her daughter who was four months at the time will now grow up without a father noting that while some visitors to the country have requested that she gives them the child she has refused. She said that she would love the assistance and help being given but noted that she cannot part with her child stressing that her eldest child is with another man and should she part with the baby it would be like throwing away everything of her husband. "I need to keep her (daughter) so that I can continue to remember what good husband and friend I had while both of my children had a good father as he worked for all of us," she said.
Pointing out that her options for gainful employment are very limited owing to the devastation to both businesses and lives that the earthquake has caused, Darline journeys every morning to the makeshift airport from 5 am leaving her home some two hours early so as to be able to be the first in line for business. She said that while there are other women in the taxi industry they are forced to compete fiercely with their men counterparts for business. "I leave my home as early as 3am in the morning so that by 5 am I can get here as getting around is so difficult and stressful," she said.
She disclosed that she would work until. 9 to 10 pm in the evening based on the traffic at the airport after which she would return home so as to spend at least a four to five hours with her children. Darline noted that having to work very hard means that most of the time her children are without her however she said that she leaves her children in the care of her mother who she noted does a very good job at ensuring that they are well taken care of. "I have to worry about nothing as my mother do a good job with them so that I can make the money that I need to make to take care of them," she said. She expressed a desire that the situation in Haiti will change one day noting that all are affected either directly or indirectly. "This is really bad but we just have to make use of whatever opportunities that they are," she noted.
