Description: Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, is plagued with poverty, political unrest, and natural disasters. The latest disaster was a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck the town of Les Cayes and surrounding communities on August 14, 2021. Only three days later tropical storm Grace brought devastating flooding to the very same region along the southern peninsula of Haiti. Over 2,200 were killed and many thousands more injured, homeless, or missing. Food and drinking water were scarce. Relief from the capital in Port-au-Prince was limited due to structural damages to bridges and landslides on roads. Outside aid took days to arrive. Spontaneously, Pierre-moise Louis of Jérémie Bakery sprang into action. He donated his entire stock of konparèts (a dry biscuit baked from breadfruit flour) to affected families in the area. With additional support from Trees That Feed Foundation, over 80,000 meals were provided by local Haitians to victims of the disaster. Since its inception in 2008, Trees That Feed Foundation has received financial and operational support from my fellow actuaries in several countries.

Description: John Naisbitt, in Megatrends, defined a megatrend as a general shift in thinking or approach affecting countries, industries and organizations. This article challenges actuaries to consider off-the-charts factors within their risk maps and consider their potential impact.