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Entry posted by cdn94 · December 15, 2010

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Although St.Anaïs seems to be a picture perfect paradise, in reality it isn't. This can be seen in the départissement of Cap-Pélée. Located at the southern end of Île François, Cap-Pélée is by far the poorest area of the country. This is mainly due to the population being mostly immigrants and the area being mountainous and difficult to farm. The main settlement in Cap-Pélée is Afriqueville. The town was founded in 1803 as a place to house African slaves who worked on plantations. Today, the town has grown and is home to immigrants and workers from all over the world.

Afriqueville

The abandoned Fort de la Montagne , which housed the slaves when they first arrived looks more like a prison then a housing complex. The factory beside it produces bauxite and adds horrid pollutants to the air over Cap-Pélée.

Afriqueville's Little Asia(Petite Asie) is home to a large group of Asian immigrants.

On June 14 2006, Mont Henri erupted and destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses in nearby Afriqueville.

Piles of rubble dot a neighbourhood of the town after the volcano's eruption.

AFRIQUEVILLE RECOVERING FROM THE ERUPTION

Following the eruption most of the houses were destroyed. As a result, the majority of the population was homeless and the only solution to get everyone shelter quickly was to erect these plain and ugly prefab apartment blocks and cramped housing compounds.

Although they are unattractive and a huge difference from the other St.Anaïsien architecture these prefabricated apartment blocks look like they belong in Eastern Europe. However, these apartments house thousands and actually provide much better living conditions than what the residents of Cap-Pélée had before.

In addition to the large apartment blocks these housing compounds provide additonal housing.

A branch of the International Aid Organization for Developing Nations(IAODN). Although St.Anaïs isn't officially considered a developing country the region of Cap-Pélée has all the traits of one. After the Mont Henri eruption the organization offered to set up a branch in the region to help with rebuilding,provide medical services and distribute food and water to the poverty stricken population.