Timothy Schwartz
Author/Travesty In Haiti
Host: Basima Farhat
Previously Aired On: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 – Archive Available Shortly
ABOUT Travesty In Haiti: TRAVESTY is an anthropologist’s personal story of working with foreign aid agencies and discovering that fraud, greed, corruption, apathy, and political agendas permeate the industry.
It is a story of failed agricultural, health and credit projects; violent struggles for control over foreign aid; corrupt orphanage owners, pastors, and missionaries; the nepotistic manipulation of research funds; economically counterproductive food aid distribution programs that undermine the Haitian agricultural economy; disastrous social engineering by foreign governments, international financial and development organizations–such as the World Bank and USAID– and the multinational corporate charities that have sprung up in their service, CARE International, Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, and the dozens of other massive charities that have programs spread across the globe, moving in response not only to disasters and need, but political agendas and economic opportunity.
TRAVESTY also chronicles the lives of Haitians and describes how political disillusionment sometimes ignites explosive mob rage among peasants frustrated with the foreign aid organizations, governments and international agencies that fund them. TRAVESTY recounts how some Haitians use whatever means possible try to better their living standards, most recently drug trafficking, and in doing so explains why at the service of international narcotraffickers and Haitian money laundering elites, Haiti has become a failed State. TRAVESTY reads like a novel. It takes the reader from the bowels of foreign aid in the field; to the posh and orderly urban headquarters of charities such as CARE International; to the cold, distant heights of Capitol Hill policy planners.
Barnet Meltzer, M.D., is a pioneer and well-known expert in the field of Preventive Medicine, Integrative Medicine, and Clinical Nutrition. Dr. Meltzer owns the distinction of being the first medical doctor to enter the field of Preventive Medicine in Southern California, and is a board certified physician and surgeon with over 30 years of clinical experience as a practicing primary care physician. As the founder and Director of the Meltzer Wellness Institute (MWI), Dr. Meltzer is a leading authority in health, wellness, and metabolic nutrition. He has a well-deserved reputation as Southern California’s #1 Wellness, Weight Loss, and Energy Coach.
Dr. Meltzer expanded on his eclectic approach to health and wellness when he was granted a scientific visa from the Colombian government in 1975. During this fact-finding expedition, he was able to study the lifestyle and living habits of remote villages in the Andes. It was here that he refined his expertise and philosophy on healthy lifestyles and preventing disease. Upon returning to California, Dr. Meltzer created a step-by-step nutritional detoxification program, which to this day remains a cornerstone to his wellness programs.
At 15 years old in Iowa, Moe Rock was very impressed by the visit of Iranian Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi to his school. Shirin Ebadi was the first Iranian and Woman ever awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It’s something he never forgot. In fact, meeting Shirin Ebadi is something that affected Moe deeply and still does.
Dale and Dar Emme founded the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program International in 1994 after losing their youngest son, Michael, age 17 to suicide. The Yellow Ribbon Program is being used throughout the world as a simple, effective tool to save lives. Speaking throughout the US, Canada and Australia, the Emmes’ are helping raise awareness about the epidemic levels of youth suicide and are bringing focus, action, intervention, postvention and coalition building to suicide prevention efforts in many communities. Together they have written and published the story “I’ll Always Be With You” which appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul book. They are currently working on a manuscript, “Legacy of the Yellow Mustang” about their travels throughout the world, work with youth who have attempted suicide, and families who have lost loved ones to suicide. Dale and Dar were appointed to the Colorado Governor’s Suicide Prevention Advisory Commission in 1998 and founding members of the National Council for Suicide Prevention. 
“Don’t blame yourselves, Mom and Dad, I love you.” It was signed, “Love Mike 11:45pm”. In a move that totally stunned all who know him, Mike died-by-suicide at a time of his deepest despair. At 11:52pm his parents pulled into the driveway behind that bright yellow Mustang, – seven minutes too late!
