Haiti
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Photo: Miguel Samper for Mercy Corps
Our strategy
Transition from emergency assistance to long-term support that helps rural communities, entrepreneurs and youth to build a stronger, more self-sufficient country.
The context
The January 2010 earthquake dealt a tragic blow to a country where 55 percent of the population already lived below a poverty line of $1 a day. Still struggling to rebuild, many families have no means to support themselves. Harmful environmental practices have also harmed the country's vital agricultural land, decreasing production and leading to increased food insecurity.
Our work
- Emergency response: Reached more than 1 million people with emergency supplies, clean water, cholera prevention and temporary jobs immediately after the January 2010 earthquake
- Economic opportunity: Helping women start small businesses to support their families — and protecting them from future disasters with affordable microinsurance
- Agriculture & Food: Boosting farmers' harvests and helping rural communities organize for improved production
- Environment: Promoting sustainable land use practices and establishing alternative fuel sources that provide jobs
- Children & Youth: Using soccer to teach leadership, gender awareness, conflict resolution skills and HIV/AIDS prevention education
All stories about Haiti
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Haiti: Using art as a vehicle to help Haiti November 8, 2010
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Haiti: How we're helping families in Haiti's rural villages November 5, 2010
I arrived in Port-au-Prince on Wednesday of this week, just ahead of Tomas, the tropical storm that just passed through Haiti today.
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Haiti: Haiti under red alert, Tomas likely to arrive as hurricane November 4, 2010
Today Mercy Corps' Haiti team continued to help ready camps and communities for the arrival of a possible hurricane tonight. Now, along with the Haitian government and other aid agencies, Mercy Corps is responding to three emergencies: earthquake, cholera and storm.
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Haiti: Tropical Storm Tomas headed toward Haiti November 1, 2010
Mercy Corps' water and sanitation team is out in Port-au-Prince camps today with two messages: how to prevent the spread of cholera, and how to prepare for tropical storm Tomas, which is currently headed toward Haiti and may strengthen into a hurricane at the end of the week.
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Haiti: Moving Forward through sports in Haiti October 29, 2010
Guivens Cemervil (at the head of the table) trains local youth workers in the Moving Forward sports program in Port-au-Prince in July. Mercy Corps has trained 55 mentors from 23 local organizations to hold their own sports programs for six months.
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Haiti: Getting the word out on cholera October 29, 2010
For the last two days I've been out with Mercy Corps' Haiti team, which has been visiting communities in both Port-au-Prince and the Center Department to ensure they have the information they need about cholera: how to prevent it and treat it.
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Haiti: Ready, Steady, Yo! October 28, 2010
Over the weekend of October 16, the third annual “Artisans en Fête” (Artisans Festival) took place in Port-au-Prince. The two-day fair attracted more than 200 artisans that came from all corners of Haiti, presenting wares such as arts, crafts, regional beverages, foods and clothing.
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Haiti: Celebrating a success in Haiti October 26, 2010
In Haiti, as might be expected, nothing ever comes easy. Here, the simplest of activities become a challenge and the best laid plans can go awry, which means that introducing something new and different can take on a whole new degree of uncertainty.
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Haiti: A new Haiti emergency: Cholera October 25, 2010
I arrived to Haiti last week in time to see another emergency unfold: people dying with symptoms that pointed to cholera — diarrhea and vomiting leading to severe dehydration.
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Haiti: On the road, sharing good news about Haiti October 11, 2010
For the past two weeks or so, I’ve been on the road between New York and Washington, DC, attending meetings, conferences and learning events, as well as spending time with our partners and key Mercy Corps staff.