Tag Archive for: Poverty in Haiti

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$25 Million PAHO Health Initiative in Latin America

PAHO Health Initiative in Latin AmericaOn June 25, 2026, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) launched a $25 million health initiative in five Latin American countries. The project will directly benefit more than 1.1 million people in Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras, and indirectly reach close to 900,000 more. It aims to expand access to essential health care in communities facing some of the region’s most severe humanitarian pressures. In these nations, poverty and poor health access often reinforce each other.

Why Now

The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs manages the Regional Humanitarian Pooled Fund for Latin America and the Caribbean (RHPF LAC), which was established in 2024. The fund delivers faster, more flexible funding to one of the world’s most disaster-prone regions. Latin America and the Caribbean face mounting humanitarian pressure: food insecurity and violence have reached record levels, with 27.3 million people in need of assistance in 2025.

In Colombia, armed conflict, extreme weather and migration pressures continue to drive urgent health needs, particularly in areas where non-state armed groups restrict access to essential services. Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador face their own overlapping challenges. These include population displacement, cholera, drought, food insecurity and vector-borne disease outbreaks. PAHO selected the five countries because their health systems face some of the region’s steepest strains, making them priorities for a coordinated response.

Country-by-Country Snapshot

Haiti will receive the largest share of the funding, reflecting the severity of a humanitarian crisis marked by widespread displacement and cholera outbreaks. Poverty compounds the crisis. The World Bank’s most recent national survey from 2012, found 88% of Haitians live below the national poverty line. Given the survey’s age, that figure likely understates current conditions after more than a decade of continued political and economic instability. In Haiti, the initiative aims to maintain access to emergency and essential health care for more than 524,000 people in highly vulnerable situations. This includes support for the cholera response, maternal and neonatal care, mental health services and vaccination campaigns against measles and diphtheria.

In Colombia, where an estimated 37% of the population lives below $8.30 a day, funding will expand health services for communities affected by conflict, violence and climate-related displacement, with a specific focus on hard-to-reach rural and tropical areas. Planned actions include primary care, disease surveillance, nutrition support, mental health services and improved access to safe drinking water.

In Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, where implementation began in early June, PAHO is working to restore and strengthen essential health services disrupted by climate shocks, food insecurity and disease outbreaks. Around 50% of Hondurans and 47% of Guatemalans live below $8.30 a day, while roughly 30% of Salvadorans live below their country’s national poverty line. These figures underscore why sustained health investment in these communities matters. Response efforts include mobile health brigades, vaccination campaigns, rehabilitation of health facilities and improvements to water and sanitation systems, alongside targeted disease prevention work. In Guatemala, the project will prioritize communities affected by drought and crop losses, while in El Salvador, funding will concentrate on vector-borne diseases and climate-related emergencies.

The Capacity-Building Angle

PAHO structured the health initiative in Latin America to build lasting capacity, not just deliver short-term relief. Alongside emergency response, its projects include strengthening epidemiological surveillance, expanding maternal, child and mental health services, also improving water, sanitation and hygiene systems in all five countries. These investments will help local health systems detect and respond to future outbreaks and climate emergencies on their own, reducing long-term dependence on humanitarian aid. The initiative pairs immediate care with system-level improvements. This approach aims to leave communities more resilient and better equipped to protect their own health and economic stability long after the current funding cycle ends, offering a model for how emergency response and lasting development can work together.

– Gonzalo Rodriguez

Gonzalo is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Organizations Responding to the Humanitarian Crisis in Haiti

Volunteers sorting food packages for the Humanitarian Crisis in Haiti.Escalated gang violence in Haiti has brought on an unprecedented humanitarian and human rights crisis. Decades of political instability and social unrest in the country culminated with the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. Armed gangs took advantage of the resulting power vacuum to take control of 90% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and continue to expand their reach to rural areas and main roads. Due to the breakdown of central authority, these criminal groups go unchecked as they compete for territory and commit acts of extreme violence.

Humanitarian Crisis in Haiti

In 2025, an estimated 6,000 people were killed by gang violence in Haiti. About 1.4 million people, roughly a tenth of the country’s population, have been internally displaced by gang violence. Many of these people live in displacement sites without access to essential services like food, clean water and health care.

Some of the most effective work to address the ongoing crisis is being done by Haitian-led organizations, whose on-the-ground action responds to the everyday needs of those most affected by violence and displacement. The three local organizations highlighted in this article are just a few of the many Haitian-founded nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) doing crucial work in response to the country’s human rights crisis.

Nègès Mawon

Nègès Mawon is a Haitian feminist organization founded in 2015 with the mission to establish equality and autonomy for women in Haiti while liberating them from violence and oppression. Much of the organization’s work in recent years has involved providing services to survivors of gender-based and sexual violence.

Haiti has experienced an upsurge in sexual violence. The UN verified 1,863 cases of sexual violence in 2025, a 163% increase from 2024. According to Pascale Solages, co-founder of Nègès Mawon, armed gangs employ sexual violence as a “weapon of control” to terrorize and exploit. Women and girls living in displacement settlements, where there is a lack of security, are especially vulnerable to this violence.

Nègès Mawon has responded by offering holistic care to survivors of sexual violence, including medical care, psychological support, legal guidance, economic assistance and educational resources. Survivors of gender-based violence can find temporary accommodation at the organization’s Claire Heureuse House. Nègès Mawon’s mentorship program, which pairs survivors of sexual violence, seeks to create community and reduce the stigma around the topic. In 2024, the organization provided services to 1,800 women and girls, despite the ongoing threats of violence experienced by the entire community, including its staff.

Centre Hospitalier de Fontaine Foundation

For more than 30 years, the Centre Hospitalier de Fontaine in the community of Cité Soleil outside of Port-au-Prince has provided critical medical care to some of Haiti’s most vulnerable populations. The foundation’s work has become even more crucial as 70% of public health facilities in Haiti have been shut down due to gang violence, depriving about 4.4 million people of health care.

The Centre Hospitalier de Fontaine Foundation covers medical expenses and provides life-saving equipment and medication. The hospital safely delivered 1,960 babies and treated 384 NICU patients in 2024. In response to the 5.4 million Haitians experiencing acute hunger, the foundation treated 4,037 malnourished children and provided more than 20,000 with vitamin A. In all, it served more than 50,000 people, many through its mobile health services, which bring care to people unable to travel due to the threat of gang violence.

Kareen Ulysse, head of the foundation, has spoken of the increasing difficulty of ensuring the safe transport of supplies and medical personnel to and from the hospital. Despite the daily threat to their safety, hospital staff continue to provide life-saving care.

Défenseurs Plus

Founded in 2013, Défenseurs Plus is a nonprofit organization based in Port-au-Prince dedicated to the promotion of human rights in Haiti. It was established in response to the state’s failure to implement the human rights policies outlined in the conventions and treaties it ratified. Défenseurs Plus provides human rights and advocacy training to local youth and community organizations, working to raise awareness of the rights entitled to all Haitian citizens. Its Legal Intervention and Assistance Program for Victims helps victims of human rights abuses attain justice. Défenseurs Plus also monitors human rights issues in Haiti and drafts alternative reports to United Nations treaty bodies, holding state authorities accountable.

In a recent example of its advocacy work, Défenseurs Plus published a press release in response to the visit of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres to Haiti on June 16, 2026. Ulrick Tintin, head of legal affairs for Défenseurs Plus, drew attention to the gravity of what he called the “systemic collapse” in Haiti and the human rights abuses its people suffer daily. He criticized the international response to the crisis as ineffective and called for “concrete action” to reestablish state authority through democratic elections.

Looking Ahead

The ongoing work by these Haitian organizations is cause for hope despite the gravity of the ongoing human rights crisis in the country. Although Haiti requires support from the international community, humanitarian aid and assistance will not succeed without the participation of local actors. Haitian-led organizations demonstrate the valuable expertise of local communities and the importance of involving local leaders and NGOs in decision-making as efforts are made to restore state authority and lessen the humanitarian crisis in Haiti.

– India Kaz

India is based in Seattle, WA, USA and focuses on Good News, Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Safe Houses Amid Growing Sexual Violence in Haiti

Sexual Violence in HaitiAnnounced on June 12, 2026, the first safe house supported by the state opened for survivors of sexual violence in Haiti. A 163% increase in verified cases of sexual violence amid rampant gang violence and internal displacement highlights the urgent need for this step from the state, as poverty becomes further entrenched.

The Situation in Haiti

Around 300 paramilitary gangs have dominated the void left by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, imposing violent rule. Haiti is in crisis, with only 20% of the capital city not under complete gang control. This has resulted in record levels of internal displacement, with over 1.4 million forced from their homes by the violence, pushing many into displacement sites and leaving women and girls even more vulnerable to sexual violence.

Gangs have weaponized sexual violence in Haiti, with a recorded 1,000% increase in sexual violence against children from 2023 to 2024. The drive to displacement sites has also pushed many women and families into poverty, with more than 80% of women living in these sites now unemployed. That trend is reflected in national poverty figures: 86% of the population lives on less than $6.85 a day, and 36.4% falls within the extreme poverty threshold, on less than $2 a day.

The national effect is compounded by the fact that most women were previously the primary income generators in their households. As a result, around 1 million female-dependent households are experiencing acute food insecurity. Sexual violence continues to impact women and girls disproportionately in Haiti, pushing families further into poverty. However, the opening of safe houses for survivors, along with efforts from the Pan-American Health Organization, an international health agency for the Americas, points to a more hopeful direction in the response.

The First State-Supported Safe Houses

Alongside U.N. Women, Haiti’s Ministry of Women’s Welfare and Women’s Rights led a significant step in addressing sexual violence in Haiti by opening the country’s first state-supported safe houses. These houses are set to provide survivors with a space to receive protection and support as they rebuild their lives and recover from the trauma of escalating gang violence. While this is a new initiative with no outcome metrics yet published, the concept aims to help victims regain their autonomy and safety by prioritizing survivors amid their vulnerability to political violence.

By focusing on women and girls, the initiative could also help address poverty by supporting the rebuilding of family incomes, as these havens aim to provide the assistance survivors need for recovery. The program is intended to offer immediate shelter from further gang violence, providing an escape from the gender-based violence that U.N. Women found was reported in all 22 displacement sites surveyed, underscoring the scale of the crisis.

Efforts from the PAHO/WHO

Alongside this state-led effort, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), is providing psychosocial and health care support to combat sexual violence in Haiti. PAHO, made up of 35 member states, works across its regional offices to improve health, fight disease and provide emergency response. For decades, it has supported Haiti by promoting healthy lives through more effective health services and by prioritizing risk reduction.

To support displaced survivors of sexual violence, funding has allowed PAHO/WHO to improve psychosocial services at displacement sites, deploying 11 psychologists and 11 social workers to provide professional assistance. The organizations have also equipped nine health facilities with specialized tools to treat survivors, including rape care kits, and trained 50 health professionals to provide more sensitive, high-quality care.

Combined with the opening of state-supported safe houses, these efforts represent important steps toward helping survivors return to stable lives and providing an opportunity to escape poverty.

Looking Ahead

The crisis of sexual violence in Haiti demands continued attention, as more victims fall into poverty. Still, the opening of safe houses marks a milestone in the response, establishing new protection and recovery pathways for women and children.

– Amy Carpenter

Amy is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Updates on SDG 5 in Haiti  

SDG 5 in HaitiThe United Nations’ fifth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5) aims to achieve gender equality through the empowerment of women and girls. It involves addressing concerns such as gender-based violence, maternal health, economic opportunity and representation in government.

In Haiti, the achievement of SDG 5 and other development goals has been hindered by decades of political instability, social unrest and natural disasters. Some of the main barriers to women’s equality in Haiti include widespread sexual violence and limited access to economic opportunities. 

SDG 5 Indicators in Haiti

Despite progress in some areas, the Sustainable Development Report asserts that major challenges remain for Haiti’s achievement of SDG 5. This assessment is based largely on the following indicators:

  • Maternal Health – Haitian women have poor access to maternal health services and limited agency over decisions regarding their own health care. As a result, Haiti has a lifetime maternal death risk of one in 67, the second highest outside of Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Education – Gaps in educational attainment between boys and girls have narrowed in recent decades, as school attendance has increased overall. However, adult men are more likely to have completed secondary and tertiary schooling, reflecting women’s historic disadvantage. In 2017, 26.1% of men in urban areas had pursued higher education compared to 14.9% of women.
  • Employment Opportunities – Relative equality for women in terms of labor force participation has been achieved. However, gendered segregation within the labor market confines women to certain low-wage industries, such as retail, trade and textile manufacturing.
  • Representation in Government – The Haitian Constitution requires that women hold at least 30% of posts in public administration. Haiti’s Parliament, last active in 2019, failed to meet this quota, with women holding 2.5% of lower house seats and 3.6% of senate seats.

Seven male members made up the Transitional Presidential Council, which originated in 2024 to reestablish democracy amidst the ongoing power vacuum and rise of armed gangs.

Haiti’s Current State: Displacement and Sexual Violence 

Since the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, armed gangs have gained control more than 90% of the capital, Port-au-Prince and major roads throughout the country. As of October 2025, gang violence had forcibly displaced 1.4 million people.

In this climate of violence and instability, women and girls are especially vulnerable. In makeshift camps, a lack of security puts women at risk of sexual violence. Armed gangs often use rape as a tactic of fear or coercion. Of the 5,857 reported cases of sexual assault in 2024, 64% were attributed to armed gangs and 61% of victims were internally displaced persons.

Survivors of sexual violence lack support and legal recourse, as systems for addressing sexual abuse in the camps are lacking or nonexistent. U.N. programs currently in place aim to train police officers to prevent sexual violence.

Moving Forward: UN Efforts and Haitian-Led Organizations

The United Nations currently has a number of programs in place to make progress towards SDG 5 in Haiti. Current UN Programmatic Interventions aim to address sexual and gender-based violence in Haiti, protect and empower displaced women, and enable women’s political participation.

Several Haitian-based organizations, many of them women-led, are working to address these issues on the ground. 

Nègès Mawon, a female-founded organization, has been working since 2015 to provide support to survivors of sexual violence, including medical care, legal support, economic assistance and psychological services. The organization’s safe houses provide a refuge for women escaping domestic and gang violence. In reference to the ongoing state of violence and instability in Haiti, co-founder Pascale Solages stated, “Women and girls are the first victims of this crisis.” In 2024, Nègès Mawon provided support to 1,800 women and girls. 

Another Haitian-based feminist organization is Marijàn, which originated in 2020 to promote gender equality and defend the rights of women and girls in Haiti. The organization’s program on gender-based violence provides psychological, legal and medical support to survivors. Marijàn uses education programs, community mobilization and political advocacy to further its mission of justice and dignity for women and girls in Haiti.

Although many challenges remain and Haiti is not on track to achieve SDG 5 by 2030, the efforts of United Nations agencies and Haitian-based NGOs have the potential to address the current humanitarian crisis in Haiti and its disproportionate effects on women.

– India Kaz

India is based in Seattle, WA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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The Growing Need for Mental Health Support in Haiti

Mental Health Support in HaitiHaiti, a Caribbean country that shares an island with the Dominican Republic, faces an unstable government and frequent natural disasters that cause significant damage. Due to its geographical position, the country experiences natural calamities such as floods, earthquakes and hurricanes, leading to food insecurity and instability. Over the years, these challenges have forced many to leave in search of a better and safer life. Haiti is characterized not only by natural disasters but also by armed groups and violent gangs controlling some areas. These conditions have significantly impacted children, women and young individuals.

The Growing Need for Mental Health Support

While the need for medical care, education and food stability is visible and recognized, the psychological and mental health sphere has been significantly ignored. Efforts in social services, including mental health support, are essential. More than one in five Haitians face serious mental health challenges, and these conditions have led to increased stress, psychological issues, sleep problems, anxiety and depression, creating an immediate need for mental health support in Haiti.

Organizations Working for Mental Health in Haiti

The 2010 earthquake triggered a humanitarian crisis, affecting Haitians both in the country and in the U.S. due to relocation and cultural adjustment. The uncertainty and new challenges faced by Haitians, especially migrants, created a demand for mental health support. Haiti is one of the countries with the largest number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) operating for its recovery. In recent decades, especially after 2010, organizations such as Rebati Santé Mentale (RSM) have rushed to provide mental health support. RSM offers clinical services in the country and to the Haitian diaspora in the U.S., along with consultation and training on mental health for government agencies, schools, health care systems and community-based organizations. RSM is also dedicated to educating on the importance of mental health in well-being and the creation of stable communities. The nonprofit organization researches culturally sensitive mental health support in Haiti, contributing to a shift in global understanding.

The mental health support crisis extends beyond Haiti, affecting Haitian emigrants globally. Gemima St. Louis and Gina Dessources Benjamin address this by supporting Haitian communities in the U.S. through the Haitian Mental Health Network, which respects cultural values and language while promoting awareness of mental health illnesses and paths to wellness.

Looking Ahead

NGOs, organizations and movements continue to highlight and address this emergency. The issue is not limited to Haiti but affects Haitian migrants worldwide. As awareness grows and culturally sensitive approaches expand, sustained investment in mental health services remains essential to the long-term recovery and well-being of Haitian communities both at home and abroad

– Ilaria Alberti

Ilaria is based in Dublin, Ireland and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Liberation of Port-au-Prince: Humanitarian Aid in Haiti

Humanitarian Aid in HaitiFor the first time in years, Port‑au‑Prince is experiencing a fragile, but meaningful, shift. Neighborhoods long held under the control of armed gangs have been partially liberated, allowing residents to move with a freedom that had become almost unimaginable. After years of escalating violence, mass displacement and the near‑collapse of essential services, the liberation of Port-au-Prince represents more than a tactical gain. It offers a rare opening for humanitarian aid agencies that have struggled to reach communities in Haiti, trapped behind shifting frontlines.

Background

The scale of Haiti’s crisis is difficult to overstate. According to the U.N. Human Rights Office (OHCHR), gangs controlled up to 90% of Port‑au‑Prince as recently as 2025. They restricted movement, blocked trade routes and subjected civilians to extortion, kidnapping and sexual violence.

The U.N.’s March 2026 report on gang expansion documents 5,519 people killed and 2,608 injured between March 2025 and January 2026, with women and girls disproportionately targeted. The collapse of policing and justice institutions left entire neighborhoods effectively under siege, governed by armed groups whose authority rested on fear.

The Liberation of Port-au-Prince

However, recent security operations have begun to change this landscape. The Haitian National Police, supported by international partners including the U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and contributors to the U.N.-mandated Multinational Security Support Mission, have regained limited control of several key routes and districts. U.N. experts describe this moment as a “glimmer of hope,” noting that police are now more visible and mobile in areas that had been inaccessible for months. 

This assessment is echoed in the U.N.’s broader human rights reporting, which frames the current moment as a rare but important opening for stabilization. For residents, the change is immediate and tangible. They can now cross neighborhood boundaries without paying extortion fees, as well as reach markets and health centers that were previously blocked off by gang violence.

Humanitarian Aid in Haiti

This shift has profound implications for humanitarian access, with Haiti’s situation being among the most severe in the world. According to the U.N. Humanitarian Action for Children, more than 6.4 million people are expected to require assistance in 2026, including 1.4 million internally displaced people. Furthermore, only 10%–11% of health facilities within Port-au-Prince with inpatient capacity are operating normally. 

Humanitarian aid agencies were unable to reach gang-controlled zones in Haiti, forcing them to rely solely on remote support or limited airlifts. The partial liberation of Port‑au‑Prince has opened a narrow yet vital corridor for humanitarian work. Mobile health clinics have begun reaching displaced people sheltering in schools and makeshift camps. 

The Need for Sustained International Support

The liberation of territory has also revealed the depth of trauma endured by children. A joint OHCHR–BINUH report found that at least 26 gangs in the capital are involved in child trafficking using boys for extortion and armed operations, while subjecting girls to sexual slavery. More than 500,000 children live in gang‑controlled areas and many have been misidentified as perpetrators, executed by police or vigilante groups. 

Even with improved access, Haiti’s humanitarian system is under severe strain. U.N. humanitarian assessments warn that gender‑based violence services face significant funding gaps and many displacement sites lack basic management structures. Food assistance pipelines risk interruption and children with acute malnutrition may remain untreated if funding shortfalls continue. 

Without sustained international support, the gains from recent security improvements could quickly erode. The broader political context also remains uncertain, as Haiti has not held national elections since 2016. Additionally, the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 left the country without an elected head of state. 

Governance institutions remain weak and accountability for human rights violations, whether committed by gangs or the police, remains rare. OHCHR’s report describes the situation as a “severe deterioration” in human rights conditions, driven by gang expansion, institutional collapse and systemic impunity.

As humanitarian aid access improves in Haiti, agencies stress the need for reintegration programs, safe spaces, school‑based protection systems and cash‑transfer schemes that reduce the economic pressures driving recruitment.

Concluding Thoughts

The liberation of parts of Port‑au‑Prince is best understood not as a turning point, but as an opening. It offers a chance to scale up emergency assistance, rebuild essential services and strengthen protection for women and children. However, it also underscores the need for predictable funding and long‑term support for Haitian institutions working to restore the rule of law. 

For Haitians, the hope is that this moment marks the beginning of a broader recovery, one in which safety and opportunity replace fear and displacement.

– Max Kenway

Max is based in London, UK and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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Resilience in Haiti with FADEKA

fadeka haitiIt has been almost five years since a catastrophic earthquake hit Haiti, leaving behind a tremendous amount of damage. The 7.2 magnitude earthquake killed 2,247 people, injured more than 12,700, and destroyed more than 53,000 homes. 1,060 schools were damaged, compromising the education of thousands of children. This event helped start an initiative to enhance the economic status and community standing of women and their resilience in Haiti.

After this event, an initiative to enhance the economic status and community standing of women was formed for women as a resilience in Haiti.

FADEKA Project

The original initiative, Fanm nan Agrikilti se Devlopman Ekonomi Ayiti (FADEKA), meaning Economic Empowerment of Women in the South Department of Haiti, was active from 2018 to 2021. U.N. Women developed the project in partnership with the Government of Norway, releasing a final report in December 2022. Despite the success of the project, Haitian agriculture and women are still struggling with ongoing insecurity and poor infrastructure, and need another FADEKA Project.

For supporters of this topic to want to push for a second initiative, they need to hear about the success of the first one. An independent firm dissected the FADEKA Project in Haiti and the resiliencies made throughout the program, expressing the positives of the project, and providing a guide for a second one.

Success of FADEKA

During the FADEKA Project in Haiti, focus was solely on improving the livelihoods of female farmers through agriculture, fishing, and small-scale processing through catalytic investments and capacity-building for female producer organizations, according to the December 2022 report.

The female agricultural workforce makes up 44.2%, with only a third of Haitian farms managed by women. Agriculture is the primary source of employment in Haiti, with 40% of households involved in activities and around 75% of rural households engaged in a form of agriculture, such as fishing or beekeeping.

Training farmers on extreme weather patterns was also a part of the FADEKA project. A total of 8.7% beneficiaries surveyed said that they had taken training on weather challenges and 7.3% on nursery management within the context of the project. According to the discussion group participants, this training built their technical capacity on weather patterns and resilience.

Improving the Atmosphere Between Men and Women

The report found that 100% of women, when asked about their participation in household expenditure, contributed to it. Along with 65.3% said that household management income is managed equally between men and women, according to the December 2022 report. Overall, women’s voices in their households were strengthened, they had higher participation, more leadership in decision making, and strengthened farmers’ and agricultural entrepreneurs’ preparedness for shocks of weather patterns.

Out of 34 planned activities, the program implemented 26 (76%). The failure of the eight projects could be due to the instability of Haiti’s government. If a second project goes through, the evaluation gave ideas on how to make it more successful.

According to the evaluation report, if a second phase gets the approval, “the focus should be on consolidating the project’s achievements and on capacity-building for local authorities and the beneficiary communities.”

The need for that second project has grown more and more over the past years, with the rise of gang violence, displacement, food insecurity, and the collapse of livelihoods.

Need for a Second Project

Ever since the end of the first project, Haiti has fallen into critical conditions with mass displacement of people, widespread, acute food insecurity and the domination of gang control of Port-au-Prince. Numerous cases of kidnappings, murders, rapes, gang confrontations and other acts of violence against individuals have contributed to a sense of general insecurity in the country.

In order to improve the socio-economic situation and government of Haiti, there are many different approaches, including strengthening local governance to restore resilience and fostering economic independence through agricultural investment.

The Future

With a successful first project, the U.N. Women, along with leaders in Norway, can make the second project more effective.

The FADEKA Project in Haiti is highly relevant but requires an additional period to strengthen its exit strategy. Many beneficiaries found themselves left to their own devices. This argues in favour of a second phase of the project, which could be consolidating the project’s achievements and capacity-building for local authorities and beneficiary communities. These efforts would help many people, and not go in vain.

– Elizabeth Fryer

Elizabeth is based in Philadelphia, PA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Haiti’s Irrigation Canal Fights Food Security Crisis

Haiti's Irrigation CanalHaiti is the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere and continues to face challenges that lead to severe instability. As of early 2026, armed gangs control an estimated 80-90% of the capital and are expanding into surrounding areas. This instability has significantly reduced international aid, disrupted supply chains due to frequent looting of imports and caused the cost of essential goods such as food and oil to skyrocket. Port-au-Prince receives a majority of the country’s imports; therefore, the capital’s issues affect all other cities. 

Building From the Ground Up

With insecurity persisting and food shortages worsening, local agricultural production has become increasingly critical to economic stability. The Kanal la Pap Kanpe (KPK) initiative sits at the center of Haiti’s irrigation canal movement, a grassroots effort to bring water to one of the country’s most fertile and underserved farming regions. By expanding access to water, the project could strengthen food security and support the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.

A Shared Island, a Contested River

The island of Hispaniola is split into two countries, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which inevitably share common natural resources. However, issues persist between the two countries. A clear example is the Massacre River in the north of the island. 

The river not only carries significant historical importance, but is also essential to the livelihoods of the surrounding communities. In 1929, officials from the two countries signed the Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Arbitration. Article 10 of the treaty stipulates that both countries may use the water “justly and equitably,” provided its use does not interfere with the river’s natural flow.

In August 2018, Haiti’s irrigation canal project took shape with the start of construction on the Pittobert canal. The project is designed to irrigate more than 7,000 acres of fertile land on the Maribaroux Plain at a total operating flow of about 1.5 cubic meters per second. In a 2021 report, the Dominican National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI) counted 10 irrigation canals on the Dominican side. 

Together, they had a total operating flow of 3.22 cubic meters per second, while the Pittobert canal would be the first on the Haitian side. Progress on the canal halted in 2021 with the assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse. However, grassroots efforts led local farmers to resume it in August 2023. 

Dominicans strongly opposed this move, framing it as a unilateral act that threatened shared resources and border agreements and claimed that the canal would divert water. This disagreement created a transnational dispute with significant consequences for both sides. On September 11, 2023, President Luis Abinader unilaterally announced the complete closure and militarization of the border, prohibiting the migration of people and goods. In response, the Haitian government announced that the construction of this canal would not halt.

According to the popular Haitian media outlet AyiboPost, this canal has sparked one of the biggest grassroots movements uniting Haitians in decades. Both local Haitians and the diaspora mobilized resources and forces to aid in the construction of the canal and in “the recovery of national dignity,” as stated by Gaston Étienne, the treasurer of the project.

From Irrigation to Export: KPK Rice Making Its US Debut

Although completion of the canal has not yet been confirmed, it has already begun benefiting surrounding communities. In November 2024, a new rice brand named after the movement, KPK, was launched. It uses water from the newly built Haitian irrigation canal to irrigate its rice fields and exports to the U.S. have already begun.

Additionally, construction of a second canal in the Fort-Liberté area, the Malfety canal, is well underway, with support from local and diaspora communities. It is estimated that this canal will irrigate approximately 17,000 acres upon completion. Although imports still account for more than 70% of total cereal consumption in Haiti, mainly wheat and rice, the KPK movement also has implications for other countries.

Why the World Should Pay Attention

First, initiatives like KPK have economic lessons that go beyond Haiti’s borders. As local agricultural production increases, new trade and investment opportunities emerge both domestically and internationally. In Haiti, increased domestic production can reduce its heavy reliance on imports and create new export opportunities. Internationally, this can create more opportunities for actors to partner with local farmers to improve and increase production. 

Second, for aid and development organizations and policymakers, projects like KPK highlight the importance of supporting locally driven solutions to economic challenges rather than relying solely on foreign aid. These initiatives demonstrate how targeted infrastructure investments can unlock productivity, strengthen rural economies and improve food security, especially in poverty-stricken areas. Supporting these efforts through technical assistance, financing and market access could further amplify their impact and contribute to long-term stability for these communities.

Final Thoughts

Global attention is increasingly turning toward sustainable development and economic resilience, even as international aid declines and economic challenges persist. In this regard, Haiti’s experience offers valuable lessons. While Haiti navigates ongoing instability, projects like KPK demonstrate how Haiti’s irrigation canal movement and grassroots movements more broadly, can contribute to long-term economic resilience and poverty reduction.

By investing in local production and empowering communities, these initiatives show how countries can build more self-sufficient economies while creating new opportunities for global partnerships. KPK rice reaching U.S. shelves is only the beginning. It is proof that communities do not need to wait for stability to start creating it and that supporting grassroots movements may be one of the most effective investments the international community can make.

– Chloe Bonnefil

Chloe is based in Miami, FL, USA and focuses on Business and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikipedia

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Grassroots Groups Driving Women’s Empowerment in Haiti

Women's Empowerment in HaitiGrassroots groups driving women’s empowerment in Haiti are addressing the deep intersection of poverty and gender inequality in one of the most economically challenged countries in the Western Hemisphere. More than 60% of Haiti’s population lives below the poverty line, with more than 25% in extreme poverty. Despite these conditions, women remain active in the workforce, with a labor force participation rate of 58.3% compared to 69.7% for men. 

However, economic participation has not translated into equality. Haiti ranked 163rd out of 170 countries on the Gender Inequality Index and its Gender Development Index score of 0.898 falls well below the regional average of 0.963. These figures highlight that women contribute significantly to the economy but still lack access to resources, financial security and decision-making power.

Barriers Facing Women in Rural Economies

Women in Haiti face persistent structural barriers that limit their economic advancement. In rural areas, where agriculture supports nearly half of the workforce, women play a central role in farming and household management but often lack access to land, credit and formal markets. Environmental challenges such as drought, soil degradation and limited infrastructure further reduce productivity and income stability. 

Cultural norms also restrict women’s participation in leadership and higher-paying sectors. For example, in the fishing industry, women are often confined to processing and selling fish while relying on fishermen for supply, which limits their bargaining power. These overlapping challenges reinforce cycles of poverty and economic dependence.

Grassroots Solutions Creating Economic Opportunity

Grassroots groups in Haiti are responding to these challenges through community-led, cooperative-based solutions. One example is the Women’s Initiative from The Haiti Project, which supports women in the rural village of Chermaitre. The initiative began when women came together to share their experiences of hardship and resilience, eventually forming the Chermaitre’s Women cooperative.

This program focuses on developing business skills, strengthening collaboration and creating sustainable income opportunities. By centering local leadership, the initiative ensures that women actively shape their economic futures and build solutions tailored to their community’s needs.

Women’s Empowerment in Haiti

The cooperative model combines economic opportunity with long-term social empowerment. Women in the Chermaitre’s Women cooperative produce goods such as coffee, peanut butter and handmade crafts, including textiles and jewelry, which they sell in local and international markets. By pooling resources and sharing profits, the cooperative reduces financial risk and increases collective bargaining power. 

Women use their earnings to pay school fees, invest in agriculture and improve household stability, particularly during periods of environmental stress. Participation also builds financial literacy, confidence and leadership skills. This creates a clear chain of impact: income leads to independence, independence strengthens decision-making power and decision-making power increases women’s influence in their communities. 

In this way, these grassroots organizations empowering women in Haiti transform economic participation into meaningful advocacy.

The Impacts of Grassroots Cooperatives on Women

The success of this model reflects a broader global pattern in which grassroots women’s cooperatives drive sustainable development. Evidence shows that cooperatives increase income while also expanding leadership capacity by giving women opportunities to make decisions, manage finances and resolve conflicts. Many women in these groups take on leadership roles for the first time, helping to challenge traditional gender norms. 

These cooperatives also support environmental sustainability through activities like reforestation and soil restoration. Globally, gender equality is essential to achieving development outcomes, including poverty reduction, food security and climate resilience. In fact, empowering women is considered critical to achieving all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reinforcing that economic inclusion drives long-term progress.

Funding Gaps Limit Grassroots Impact

However, despite their effectiveness, grassroots organizations in Haiti face significant funding challenges. For instance, of the total $6.43 billion invested in Haiti’s development from 2010-2012, only 0.6% of that funding has gone directly to Haitian-based nonprofit organizations. At the same time, 90% of women-led and women’s rights organizations globally report experiencing funding cuts.

Despite limited resources, grassroots groups in Haiti continue to strengthen leadership, improve safety for women and girls and respond to ongoing crises. This imbalance highlights a critical gap: the most effective, community-based solutions often receive the least financial support. Expanding direct investment would allow these organizations to scale their impact and reach more women.

A Path Toward Sustainable Change

Ultimately, women’s grassroots groups in Haiti demonstrate that economic empowerment can drive lasting social change. Programs like the Women’s Initiative show that when women gain access to income, skills and leadership opportunities, they do more than support their families; they strengthen entire communities. Expanding support for grassroots, cooperative-based initiatives offers a clear pathway toward reducing poverty, advancing gender equality and building a more sustainable future for Haiti.

– Kianna Hines

Kianna is based in Brooklyn, NY, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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SDG 4 in Haiti: Global Partnerships Advancing Education 

SDG 4 in Haiti

Across Haiti, school closures, language barriers and chronic underfunding continue to disrupt education for millions of students. The UN’s fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) focuses on “ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. In a country like Haiti, achieving this goal is especially urgent as the population continues to face extreme levels of poverty, violence and repeated school disruptions. In recent years, however, efforts have emerged to create a more robust system that will support the overall growth of Haitian youth. International organizations and local partners play an important role in supporting progress toward SDG 4 in Haiti.

Barriers To Achieving SDG 4 in Haiti

Years of political instability and the rise of gang violence have long impacted Haiti’s education system. As of May 2025, more than 1,600 schools across four departments shut down, largely due to the escalating insecurity. In addition to these safety concerns, education is severely underfunded. Less than one-quarter of schools are public institutions. In fact, approximately 80% of primary schools are privately run. Many families do not have the necessary resources to pay for a proper education, while the government does not provide them with the adequate tools to do so.

There are also key systemic issues that hinder learning outcomes. Haiti has two official languages: French and Haitian Creole. However, in reality, only a small minority of Haitians are bilingual, with around 90% of the population only speaking Haitian Creole. Despite this reality, French remains the official language of instruction, which creates an additional barrier for the majority of monolingual students. Educational materials in Haitian Creole remain limited, further complicating classroom learning.

Proper instructor training is another ongoing concern. Many teachers do not have the proper training or qualifications needed to deliver high-quality instruction. To add on to that, classrooms are often overcrowded and lack basic resources. Millions of students lack the proper support and tools needed to succeed, making progress toward SDG 4 in Haiti particularly challenging.

UNESCO Supports Curriculum Reform in Haiti

Despite these many obstacles, international actors continue to create initiatives that aim to strengthen Haiti’s education system. UNESCO has been a major player in Haiti’s pursuit of higher quality education. The Ministry of National Education of Haiti and the UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education recently signed a $6.8 million agreement to support curriculum reform and development in the country.

This project aims to create a better system by understanding and addressing the root causes of issues. Rather than focusing solely on classroom content, it aims to address why education is delivered the way it is and who it serves. Self-described as an “endogenous” education, it aims to completely reform the way in which Haitians perceive education to a more holistic view of it, understanding the power of their environment, their culture and their realities. This approach integrates Haiti’s cultural and social context into the curriculum through a more interactive process that involves the students and their input.

The project will unfold in three phases. The program began with a diagnostic phase from 2022 to 2024. Its conclusions revealed the system’s most glaring issues including overloaded curricula, a discrepancy in teacher training, learning assessment and content, and issues surrounding the use of the language of learning. Phases II (2025-2027) and III (2026-2029) both involve an integration of the newly developed curriculum into schools, including experimentation in classrooms. The final phase will develop digital educational resources that students can access both online and offline. This is especially important in the context of Haiti today, where electricity and internet access can be inconsistent. In addition, the program will train teachers, inspectors and pedagogical advisers who will help implement and monitor the new curriculum as it is gradually rolled out nationwide.

While UNESCO’s initiative represents only one component of broader reform efforts, it is a great example of how international partnerships are helping move SDG 4 in Haiti forward.

Programs Supporting Students Beyond the Classroom

A student’s ability to focus and succeed in school is also contingent on their well-being outside of the classroom. The improvement of education outcomes therefore requires addressing broader challenges that students face such as nutrition, stability and access to basic resources among other factors. Hunger and financial hardship often reduce attendance and academic performance significantly. 

Organizations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) work to address issues surrounding nutrition. WFP helps to provide daily meals to around 420,000 students all over the country. Hunger reduces overall focus and energy, making it difficult for students to be fully present in class. On the other hand, school meal programs improve nutrition and serve as an incentive for families to keep their children enrolled in school.

Other organizations, including UNICEF, have developed programs that address emotional and stability barriers to learning. For example, UNICEF’s EDUPOL provides psychosocial care for more than 200,000 children affected by gang violence and displacement. The program also provided financial assistance to around 18,000 households and supported 33,062 students across 129 schools through water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services designed to improve health and well-being.

By addressing these out-of-classroom challenges, these programs help create the conditions necessary for students to succeed academically. Education improvements require addressing both classroom and societal challenges.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Education in Haiti

Haiti continues to face numerous challenges that inevitably affect the education of all students. However, educators, policymakers and international actors increasingly recognize the need for a more robust education system. Different initiatives have already improved the lives of countless students. Sustained collaboration between these different entities will be essential for these efforts to continue to expand. By addressing both systemic education barriers and the broader social challenges students face, these initiatives can help build a more resilient education system and expand opportunities for Haiti’s next generation, advancing progress toward SDG 4 in Haiti.

– Chloe Bonnefil

Chloe is based in Miami, FL, USA and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr