Haiti is struggling with the terrible earthquake that struck the country in August. This calamitous event has highlighted the already difficult situation caused by political instability and the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, Haiti is ranked among the poorest countries in the world.
With a project called "Support Project to Strengthen Post-Covid-19 Resilience of Vulnerable Populations in the Municipality of Croix-des-Bouquets," CADIS is intervening in the municipality of Croix-des-Bouquets in the West department and the capital of the same department located 12.4 kilometers from Port-au-Prince, the capital, particularly in the disadvantaged areas of Marin, Sibert, Moliere, Soleil 9, Lilavois, Canaan, and Jerusalem. The main economic activities of the municipality are focused on agriculture, livestock, and small-scale trade.
The project will last three years and aims to increase the resilience of vulnerable populations to mitigate the debilitating impact of man-made (political) and natural disasters, by educating and informing about how the Covid-19 pandemic spreads and the risks and consequences of infection, and by facilitating access to an efficient healthcare system that can quickly adapt in times of severe health crisis.
The project addresses the significant challenges faced by Haitians, particularly in access to information, healthcare, and economic autonomy. A training center for sewing, cosmetology, cooking, and pastry making has been established at the Centre Hospitalier Foyer Saint Camille to help young people better cope with the post-Covid period and be more prepared.
A total of 137 young people from the villages of Croix-des-Bouquets, organized in two shifts, are enrolled in 24-week training sessions - sewing (43 students), cosmetology (44 students), and cooking and pastry making (50 students). At the end of the full training cycle, students are required to put their skills into practice to help increase family income. The project team includes the program coordinator, two group facilitators, a social worker, a nurse, an accountant, and three training facilitators.
Another component of the program is health awareness sessions given to schools and colleges in the target area. Topics covered include substance abuse, its impact on health and behavior, psychosocial support and counseling, medical support, and prevention. A total of 1,187 boys (544) and girls (643) participated in the sessions held in 16 schools and colleges in the intervention area.
The learning method applied is imitation and observation, sharing experiences and promoting models that have already proven effective in micro-enterprise, urban agriculture, environmental protection, and the prevention of personal and social safety. Local systems are strengthened through the direct participation of all local decision-makers and leaders.
Report information from
P. Robert Daudier, MI
Project Director
