As Haitians were struggling to recover after January 2010 earthquake, eleven months later a cloud of uncertainty hung over the capital, thousands still lived in tent camps, and a cholera epidemic had spread to Port au Prince.
Scrap metal scavengers had become a common sight, and could be seen pushing large carts of metal towards DG scrapyard on the outskirts of town. There it was weighed, loaded into containers to be shipped to the US for processing.
These entrepeneurs thrived in the new reality of post earthquake Port au Prince. The high cost of building materials and prices paid for scrap metal and downtown streets lined with damaged buildings created a niche.
As presidential elections approached, survival was on the minds of many and men could even be seen working to recover anything of value out of the former Ministry of Finance.
