Soap Shortage Fuels Haiti's Cholera

As a cholera outbreak continues to ravage Haiti, humanitarians say an effective solution can be found in a simple bar of soap. "As hard as it is to believe, Haiti still needs soap. They have many needs, but soap—and access to clean water—is absolutely essential to fight cholera," said the country’s top U.N. coordinator. Unfortunately, though soap costs just 50 cents, many Haitians—still reeling from this year’s massive earthquake—live on less than $1.25 per day and can’t afford it. Soap would provide preventative care as well as a means for Haitians to wash their hands and food, which is crucial to fending off the outbreak. So far, 917 people have died from cholera, just 10 months after a massive quake that killed 300,000 people and many still homeless in tent camps.