2013 | three years of impact in haiti

7/28/2019 2013 | Three Years of Impact in Haiti

1/6

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SERVICE COMMITTEE

689 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139-3302 617-868-6600 fax: 617-868-7102www.uusc.org

ThreeYearsofImpact:BeyondDisaster

towardsLong-termSocialChange

UUSCHaitiProgram

January11,2013


2/6

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SERVICE COMMITTEE689 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139-3302 617-868-6600 fax: 617-868-7102

www.uusc.org

OVERVIEW

Whena7.0magnitudeearthquakerockedHaitiat4:53pmonJanuary12,2010,itplunged

hundredsofthousandsofHaitiansfromanalreadyprecariouslivingsituationintoaliving

nightmare.Thedecadesofeconomicandpoliticalmarginalizationthatprecededthe

earthquakeexacerbateditsdevastatingimpact,particularlyonthemostvulnerable

segmentsofthepopulation.

Thankstotheoverwhelminggenerosityofitsmembersandthevisionofitsleaders,the

UnitarianUniversalistServiceCommittee(UUSC)quicklymobilizedtorespond,

establishingitsinitialprogramswithinafewweeksofthequake.Utilizingourmodelsof

eye-to-eyepartnership,ofseekingoutthoseleftbehindbytraditionalaidreliefefforts,and

ofcollaboratingwithcreativeandcommittedpartnersonthegroundtocreateinnovativemodels,wewentbeyonddisasterrelieftoaddressthedeeperrootsofmarginalizationand

accompanyourresilientHaitianpartnersincreatingviablelong-termsolutions.

Threeyearslater,ratherthanwindingdowntoexitHaitiaswewouldnormallydoafter2

to3yearsofdisasterresponse,UUSChastakenthedecisiontobreaknewgroundbyholdingHaitiforthasamodelofhopeandresiliencyandcontinuetoaccompanyour

Haitianpartnersinbringingaboutlastingchangethroughthemanypilotprojectswehave

createdwhichcontinuetogrowandunfold.

STRATEGY

Utilizeeye-to-eyepartnershipmodeltocreateinnovativeandreplicablemodelssuchastheEco-villagetoservethosewhoaremarginalizedoroverlookedbymainstreamreliefefforts

Strengthenlocalcapacitytospreadeffectivemethodologiessuchastraumaresilienceandtiregardens

Buildsolidaritybetweengrassrootspartnerswithinsectorsaswellasacrosssectors Providerichanddiverseopportunitiesforconstituentstoengageinservice

learning,policyandmobilization

Utilizeanintegratedcross-departmentalapproachtobroadenimpact

AswellascreatingmanypilotprogramsinHaiti,Haitihasservedasapilotprogram

internallyaswell:

1. HaitiservedasoneoftheinitialtrialprogramsfortheIntegratedPlanin2011,tointegrateworkcross-departmentally.

2. ExpandingonthesuccessesoftheIntegratedPrograms,HaitihasbeenservingasoneofthepilotprogramsforUUSCsEnhancedProgramPlanningsinceFebruary

2012.


3/6


www.uusc.org

3. TheHaitiprogramhasservedasthepilotsiteforthenewUUCollegeofSocialJustice(UUCSJ)sservice-learningprogramsinceAprilof2011.Thiscontinuesto

beavitalprogram,withfivetripsscheduledforthespringof2013,continuingto

offerourconstituentsrichopportunitiestolearnaboutandtocatalyzesocialjustice

locallyandglobally.

4. Summerof2012markedthepilotingofUUCSJinternshipswithplacementsoftwointernswithUUSCspartnerthePapayePeasantMovement(MPP).Onesignificantimpactofthisprogramisavideooftheeco-villageproducedbyintern

EvanCarterviewableathttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UuPfq09nEY.

5. HaitiisnowbreakingnewgroundintheRightsandHumanitarianCrisisunitasamodelforlong-termdisasterrecovery,pasttheusualinitialphaseoftwotothree

yearsofinvolvement.

OUTLINEOFMAJORPROGRAMAREASANDIMPACTS

I.Modelsforsustainablelivingfordisplaced

A. MPPeco-village.Amodelforrelocationofdisplacedintoruralsustainablelivelihoods;tenfamiliesmovedintofirstcompletedvillageinDecember2011,

Presbyterianssawthemodelandfundedfourmorevillagesfortenfamilieseach,

UUSCwillbefundraisingtofundasixthvillage,clusterofsixvillageswillbeacommunitylargeenoughtohaveaschoolandclinic;haveusedalternative

technologiessuchas:

MITD-LabtrainingsinInnovativeSolutionsandTechnologiessuchasalternativecharcoalmakingfromagriculturalwasteproducts;

Earthbricks; Fuel-efficientstoves; Solarenergy; Tiregardenagricultureadvantages:raisedonplatformssoanimalscant

eatthevegetables,usesverylittlewater,requireslittlespace;fivetirescanfeedafamily;tentiresgivesthemenoughtosellinmarkettoraisemoney

forschoolfeesandotherhouseholdexpenses.

Theeco-villagewasalsothesiteforsixservice-learningtripsofUUCSJbetween

May2011andApril2012.

B. Urbantiregardens.Previouslyusedinruralsettingsbutnowbeingpilotedinan

urbansettingbyBrightEducatorsofDelmas(GEAD)startinginsummerof2012

with48displacedfamiliesinadisadvantagedneighborhoodofPortauPrince.The

projecthasbeenwildlysuccessfulandwillberipeforextensivereplicationinthe

springof2013.


4/6


www.uusc.org

C. Livelihoodsininformaleconomy.Recoveryandenhancementoflivelihoodsforwomenworkingintheinformaleconomyasstreetvendorsinthesummerof

2012.

Chefs4Kidsbeganaseriesoftrainingsforwomeninhygieniccookingandwillbeprovidingthemwithstate-of-the-artfoodcartswithrefrigerationand

stoveslargercartswillbecomerestaurantsstartinginSpringof2013. KonbitFanmSaj(KFS)akaGroupofWiseWomenhaveprovidedtraining

forover200womentorecoverandimprovetheirfoodvendingbusinesses.

Thewomenhavealsostartedasuccessfulcateringbusiness.

II.Traumaresponseandresiliencytoaddresstheimpactoftraumaonrecovery

Mentalhealthisoneofthemostfrequentlyoverlookedareasofserviceafteradisaster,and

isalsooneofthemostvitaltoaddressforrecovery.UUSCsstrategyfromthebeginning

hasbeentobuildlocalcapacityonthegroundtoaddresstheimmediatetraumatic

aftereffectsoftheearthquakeaswellastobuildresilienceforthefuture.

A. TraumaResourceInstitute(TRI).Thisprogramhasexceededourwildest

expectationsregardingbothqualitativeandquantitativeimpacts.TRIpromotesa

modelofaddressingtraumawithsimplebody-basedtechniquesusedinAsiaafter

tsunamiandRwandaaftergenocide.Thismodelwasenthusiasticallyembracedby

ourHaitianpartners.ThefinalphaseofTrainingof67Haitiantrainerswas

completedinJuly2012;nextstepshavebeguninsupportingthegraduatesto

continuetospreadthebenefitsofthemethodologytowiderandwidercircles.

Throughthepasttwoyears,theyhavealreadyhavedoneindividualsessionswith

nearlyathousandHaitians,havedonecommunitysessionswithoverfivethousand,

andhavesofarprovidedtrainingfordozensofNGOsandCBOs.Weintentionally

invitedtraineesfrommanysectorsandgeographiclocationstotheTrainingofTrainerssothatthisdistributionofimpactcanreachmultiplesectorsofHaitiansociety.

B. AssociationforthePromotionofIntegralFamilyHealthcare(APROSIFA).TheAPROSIFAArtTherapyprogramwasintendedtobeatherapeuticprocessofofferingat-riskyouthanon-verbaloutletandasafespaceforexpressingbottledup

trauma.Thetherapeuticaspecthasbeenverysuccessful,andtheprogramhashad

theunexpectedadditionalbenefitofproducingsomeveryfineart,thereby

providingtheyouthapotentialsourceofincome.Thetransformationintheirlives

hasbeenremarkable,andgraduatesoftheprogramarenowgivingbackbytraining

newyouth.150at-riskandorphanedteenscurrentlyparticipateintheprogram.

Theyhavenowexhibitedatnationalandinternationalvenuesandsomearemakingalivingsellingtheirart.InMay2012DirectorRoseanneAugustewasappointedby

thenewHaitiangovernmenttobetheMinisterofHumanRightsandExtreme

Poverty,broadeninghercircleofinfluence.


5/6


www.uusc.org

III.WomenandChildren

Recognizingthatthosemarginalizedbeforeadisasterbecomemorevulnerableafterwards,

UUSCanditspartnershavebeenstrivingtocreateinnovativesolutionstotheplightof

overlookedandunderservedyouthinHaitileftvulnerablebytheearthquakeaswellas

womenheadsofhousehold.

A. BeyondBordersaddressesthecomplexissueofrestavek(childslavery)withaninnovativemodelofmotivatinglastingcommunitychangefromwithin.UUSC

supportedthemtoformchildprotectioncommitteesin8camps,tofacilitatedialoguecirclesincommunitiesforconsciousnessraisingandtobringaboutlong-

termsocialchangere:issueofrestavek,andtotrainmorethan100NGOsintheir

methodologyofcommunitydialoguecalledESK(EducationisaConversation).

Theyproducedover5,000setsofhandbooksforfacilitatingthesecommunity

dialogues.Thereisenormouspotentialtocontinuetospreadthemethodologytobringaboutlastingsocialchangearoundthiscriticalhumanrightsissuewithinthe

nextfivetotenyears.B. LimyeLavi(LightofLife)TheSASAmethodologyfromUgandastimulates

communitydialogueandconsciousnessraisingtoreduceGenderBasedViolence.It

isbeingadaptedforHaitilinguisticallyandculturallyanddozensofotherNGOsare

clamoringforthetrainingswhichwillbeginassoonastheculturaladaptationis

complete.

C. ZanmiTimoun(FriendsoftheChildren)inpartnershipwithUUSCtheyhaveprovidedprofessionaltrainingandhumanrightseducationforover120young

adultswhoweremarginalizedbytheirstatusasex-restaveksorteenagemothers

whohadtheirchildrenasaresultofrapeinthecamps.Theytrainedtheminhighly

marketableskillssuchasplumbingandgraphicarts.Humanrightseducationwas

criticaltoassistwithrecoveryofself-worth.D. CommissionofWomenVictimsforVictims(KOFAVIV)israpecrisiscenterthat

hastrained65campagentstoworkagainstGBVinIDPcampsofPortauPrince.

WithUUSCtheyalsoprovided60teenagegirlswhowereatriskofturningtoprostitutionwithprofessionallivelihoodtraining.Asaprimeexampleofapartner

movingfromthemarginstothecenter,MalyaAppolonofKOFAVIVwasoneofthetenfinalistsforCNNHerooftheYearfor2012.

POLICY/ADVOCACY/MOBILIZATIONFRONTS

HaitihasprovenitselftoofferanamazingopportunityfortheengagementofUUmembers

intheworkofUUSC.Fromservice-learningtripstothedevelopmentoftheHaiti

curriculumtoUUSCsparticipationintheHaitiAdvocacyWorkingGroup(HAWG),the

Haitiprogramisafertileterritoryforourconstituentstobothbetterunderstandand

activelyparticipateintheworkofUUSC.


6/6


www.uusc.org

Inlessthantwoyears,Haitihasprovidedthevenuefornineservice-learningtripsthrough

theUUCollegeofSocialJustice,withfivemorescheduledforthespringof2013.Many

returnedalumnifromthesetripshavefurthercontributedtocatalyzingsocialjusticeby

offeringpresentationsaboutHaitiandUUSCtotheircommunitiesandcongregationsand

byparticipatinginlobbydaysinWashingtonD.C.TheHaitiProgramManageralso

successfullytrained14ProgramLeadersforUUCSJinNovember2012,allowingUUCSJtoexpanditsservice-learningofferingsinHaiti,Guatemala,Mexico,andtheU.S.,withmoreto

comein2013and2014.Inadditionanewinternshipprogramwaspilotedinthesummer

of2012byplacingtwointernswithourpartnerMPP.

Onthepolicyfront,UUSChasbeenparticipatinginHAWGsince2010.UUSCspolicyunit

identifiesissuesthatourpartnersexpressascriticaltorecoveryandreconstruction,

continuestopressuretheU.S.governmenttoaddressthoseissues,andcontinuestofightto

ensurethatHaitianvoicesareincludedintheinternationalplanforHaitiReconstruction.

Accomplishmentsinclude:

1. DebtReliefforEarthquakeRecoveryinHaitiAct(HR4573)cancellingalldebtowedbyHaititointernationalfinancialinstitutions,emergencysupplementalaidforgender-based

violence(GBV)protectionneeds,supportingHaitianCivilSocietyleadersandreturned

alumniofservice-learningtripstotravelforadvocacydaysinWashington,DCtospeakwith

policy-makers.

2. OurmobilizationunithelpedHaitianslivingintheUnitedStatesapplyforTemporaryProtectedStatus(TPS)toliveandworkintheUnitedStateswithoutfear

ofdeportation.Theunithasalsohelpedtocreatematerialssuchasslideshows,

worshipmaterials,andcurriculatoassistconstituentsindeepeningtheir

engagementinthework.

GOINGFORWARD

Wehavesomeveryexcitingopportunitiesandchallengesonboththenearandmore

distanthorizoninorderto:

1. Continuetoworktotransformthepublic/medianarrativeaboutHaitifrom

hopelesstohopeful.

2. StrivetokeepHaitiontheradarintermsofpolicyandensurethatHaitianvoicesareincludedinthereconstructionprocess.

3. Continuetoraiseawarenessandfundsinordertoreplicatethemanysuccessfulmodelswehavecreatedforwiderimpact.Somanyofthepilotprojectswehavebuiltareripeforajumptothenextlevelandthechallengewillbetofindthe

resources(stafftimeaswellasfinancial)tobringthemtofullfruitionforthebenefit

oflargersectionsoftheHaitianpopulation.

2013 | three years of impact in haiti

Documents