Mr. Fallace carries a chunk of ice to a client that he finish cutting, Ounaminthe, Haiti.

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Cold Trade: Ice Sellers in the Border

pedro farias-nardi | Haiti

The town of Dajabon, Dominican Republic is in the border with Ouanaminthe, Haiti. Haitians cross the border to go the market on Mondays and Fridays. In market days the border opens and Haitians cross in a stampede at 8:00 am sharp, they come to sell clothes, shoes, perfumes, alcoholic and beverages and to buy. The Dominicans provide from rice, dry fish and vegetables to empty containers, lubricants for engines, spare parts for motorcycle and ice.
I followed Fallace Tati and his nephew Jean on his daily round in Ouanaminthe, where he sells his ice. He cross the border early, goes to the Beller Ice Factory in Dajabon, and buys 3 or 4 blocks of ice. Each blocks weights 100 pounds approximately. He sells the ice to groceries stores, and small hotels; women who sell food on the streets and want to offers their customers a cold drink; and passersby who get a small piece on a thermos or a plastic bag to take home. His profits are around US$ 7.00 to 10.00.
 

 I would like to thanks

Hielo Beller and itts staff and clients.

Lic. Junadhy

Jose Luis Rodriguez

Border Solidarity 

Mr. Fallace Tati and his family

I have been documenting the border of Dominican Republic and Haiti, for over three years, and Haitians migrant workers in the country. That the Haitians has to cross a border to buy ice strike me as a symbol of how bad things are in the neighbor country, because the basics technology is simple: electricity, a refrigerator and water. Some of the customer of Mr. Tati has all of this, but either the electricity is not the right voltage or not enough hours in the day, so they rely on his services to provide a cold drink to their customer, or to conserve food.

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