Our Development Work in Haiti | WE Villages at WE.org

A resilient spirit

Our experiences in Haïti have been incredible, even in the face of the devastation and tragedy that the country has suffered. The friendly, smiling faces that greet us, and the enduring spirit of the people, make every trip and every effort profoundly rewarding. A beautiful country of approximately 11 million people (World Bank, 2017), Haïti was originally inhabited by the Taíno people, who called the island Ayiti, meaning “high grounds”. Its rugged terrain is made up of stunning mountain ranges scattered with small coastal plains and river valleys. In 1804, after a slave rebellion against the French, Haïti became the first independent nation in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the first Black-led republic in the world.

Despite its strong, vibrant culture and wealth of natural beauty, Haïti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest countries in the world. Nearly 58.5 percent of the population live below the national poverty line (UNdata, 2012). Many people struggle to grow enough food to feed their families and are plagued by deadly waterborne illnesses.

Haiti by the numbers

Children aged 5-14 who are engaged in economic activity (ILO, 2012)

Live below the national poverty line (UNdata, 2012)

The literacy rate (age 15 and above) (CIA World Factbook, 2015)

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Our work in Haiti

Our history in Haïti dates back to 1999, expanding to full WE Villages programming in 2010. Focusing our efforts in the most rural and underdeveloped area of the country, the Central Plateau region, we work in six rural communities in the mountains outside of Port-au-Prince to:

Remove obstacles and improve access to quality education for rural children
Ensure that rural populations have access to essential services like water and health care, allowing them to sustain themselves in the countryside.
Promote rural community development and support efforts that prevent Port au Prince from becoming a concentrated hub.
Help Haiti realize its goal of universal education.
In January 2010, when the 7.0 earthquake struck, WE Villages immediately responded with a strategy focused on protecting children and supporting the population of internally displaced persons (IDPs), particularly those who relocated to the Central Plateau.

A student smiles outside a newly built school

Our Pillars of Impact

In every country where WE Villages operates, we tailor our programs to meet the unique needs of the communities we work with, while still adhering to our five Pillars of Impact. Read how these have been implemented in Haïti.

Education
When children are educated, they’re empowered with the tools to create brighter futures for themselves, their families and communities. Under our education pillar, we’ve built schools that provide safe learning environments for over 2,000 children. We’ve also constructed outdoor study areas, playgrounds and flower beds so that children have the space to simply be children. WE Villages educational programming works in partnership with teachers and local government to enhance the quality of education through teacher trainings, setting up extracurricular programs and bringing in basic school supplies.
Water
Clean water has the power to transform lives yet approximately 49 percent of Haïti’s population lacks access to clean drinking water, forcing women and children to walk far distances every day to collect water from unsafe sources. As part of our water pillar programming, WE Villages works with communities to improve access to clean water with projects like building natural spring catchment systems, clean water systems, safe water tanks, handwashing stations, hand-dug wells, latrines and providing community education workshops in basic hygiene practices and waterborne disease prevention.
Health
Under the health pillar, we work with the government and communities to improve access to health care so that everyone can thrive. Alongside the Ministry of Health, we help provide medical supplies and hospital beds to clinics and hospitals. We also conduct educational opportunities at the school and household levels so that people of all ages are knowledgeable on health. These trainings are one of the most important aspects of our programming, ensuring community members know how to prevent disease, seek medical attention and improve one’s well-being through healthy habits.
Food Security
Without healthy, sustainable food sources, community members don’t receive the nutrition they need to lead more productive lives. To tackle food insecurity in Haïti, WE Villages facilitates the implementation of school nutrition programs, irrigated school gardens and farms, agricultural training, and tree-planting activities. Through these projects, students, parents and communities learn about more efficient agricultural practices and techniques to ensure food sustainability at school and at home.
Opportunity
Whole communities thrive when everyone has opportunities. That’s why WE Villages helps marginalized Haïtians, especially women, achieve financial sustainability and independence through programming under our opportunity pillar. Projects include the implementation of lending circles, financial literacy and business training, focusing on the formation of women’s, men’s and youth groups which support capacity-building and empowerment of a community.