Haiti has a unique history. It was the richest colony in the Western Hemisphere during the 1700s and now observes the highest poverty rate in the region (Marroquín 2005). Haiti is a low-income country with a GDP per capita of 820 current USD and a population of approximately 10.9 million people. The country is also dependent on external revenue: foreign aid accounts for over 20 percent of the government’s annual budget while remittances from the Haitian diaspora account for more than 25 percent of the country’s GDP. Aid can have a positive short-term effect, especially in times of crisis. In the long run, however, aid can create dependence and reduce the incentives for individuals to work and innovate, and could prepare themselves for a crisis. There are some instances in Haiti where innovation and creative talent targets the needs of international aid organizations, who demand their services. Some Haitian entrepreneurs exist because of the demand of international donors, not because of the existence of robust markets that demand their products. While this system is a temporary source of cash, it is not conducive to stable, long-term economic growth.