Grande Saline - Haiti Observer Blog

Grande Saline is among the four communes that comprise Haiti's Artibonite Arrondissement. The other three are Dessalines, Petite Riviere de I'Artibonite and Desdunes. With a population of 2,000 people, Grande Saline is situated in the northwestern part of the country, 24 kilometers away from the national capital of Port-au-Prince and 18 kilometers from Saint Marc. It is located near the Caribbean Sea, which connects the water from Artibonite River to the Gulf of Gonave.

Grande Saline has been hit by several health crises before. Two years ago, a Cholera outbreak claimed many lives and due to the lack of facilities, the bodies had to be buried in mass graves. It had to be done in order to prevent the disease from spreading and killing more people. Health crisis was not the only challenge that the town faced. Back in 2007, Grande Saline was also devastated by floods when the Artibonite River overflowed due to a tropical storm named Noel. Dozens of homes were destroyed, affecting people's lives and source of income. Oxfam, fortunately, lent a helping hand to the town by launching an emergency response program. The project helped residents and the entire town to deal with the disaster's aftermath.

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