Last weekend Haiti swore in Rene Preval as its first democratically elected president since former president Jean Bertrand Aristide was forced into exile two years ago. Haitians are said to be cautiously optimistic that Preval can do something about the persistent poverty in the island nation, where 8 of 10 people live on less than a dollar a day.
In his inaugural address Preval asked for the support of the international community to help turn Haiti around, and one Vermonter has been taking that message to heart for the past 25 years.
June Levinsohn of Dummerston started out teaching English in Haiti, and now helps out by fostering sustainable agriculture programs. She spoke with Mitch Wertlieb about the different paths she took that led to working with and getting to know some
of the most impoverished people in Haiti.