After Haiti was devastated by an earthquake in 2010, the world responded quickly to help the country rebuild. But despite the billions in relief funds, attention has waned. Lost in the platitudes of governments and organizations were the rise of tent communities of displaced people, such as Jerusalem. Intended to be a temporary solution, the government declared it permanent in 2013.
Today, over 100,000 people reside in Jerusalem, committed to live in a desert that is now their home. There are churches, small schools and thousands of simple homes, but the lack of resources and infrastructure is still apparent. Jobs are rare, clean water is sparse, and many people go days without food. Locals often refer to Jerusalem as Haiti's "ghetto".
"Permanently Displaced" follows the evolution of Jerusalem as residents work to build a self-sustaining community from nothing. It begs the question, what is a community? What does it mean to be settled?