According to the Haitian government's statistics, the possibility of childhood education prior to the age of 15 is
virtually non-existent. The earliest opportunity for most children to become educated cannot happen until they reach
the age of 15 - hence, most Haitian children are illiterate.
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A national survey in 1978 showed that 77 percent of children in Haiti were malnourished. Anemia was also a common
problem among children and women in Haiti. Malnutrition is a special problem in infants and young children, often
causing mental retardation. Infant and child health were poor. The infant mortality rate was 124 per 1,000 live
births in 1983.
A recent survey from the United Nations between 1995-2000 shows that only 14% of the Haitian population (8,270,000) have
access to health, 62% are undernourished, and 80% of the population are living below the poverty level.
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