As I passed through the countless shantytowns of Port-au-Prince and into the barren, charred remains of tropical forests, I quickly learned what my wise host meant. The people of Haiti do not need handouts; they do not need another way to be enslaved. Haiti, like a dozen other third-world countries fighting for mere survival, needs to throw aside its history of oppressive government, foreign aid, and destruction of natural resources in favor of independence, entrepreneurship, and a means to create its own future.

It is easy to look into the desperate eyes of a starving child and think that the charity you so willingly bestow is the best thing for the Haitian people. But handouts are crippling. Getting something for nothing is extremely gratifying at first, but it is a short-term crutch.

Profit is not just nickels and dimes; it is not cold, heartless cash. In fact it is exactly the opposite; profit is humanizing. The very idea that a man may earn reward for his toil, provide for his family, and raise himself from poverty is enough to make him pick himself up and try again. Even in the direst circumstances a person can look ahead to that first paycheck and know that their fate is their own.

Destitution, chaos, and despair can be exchanged for comfort, order, and hope. It will take a new mindset, along with grit and determination, but a new Haiti can be created.