Dear Hope for Haiti Family,
The inequality and anti-corruption riots of 2019 have taken an alarmingly dangerous toll on the people of Haiti. Nearly two months of mass demonstrations and violent unrest have resulted in an emerging humanitarian crisis that has left the citizens of an already fragile country with acute shortages of food, water, and access to healthcare. Schools have been closed since September, and students of all ages are at risk of losing an entire school year.
The New York Times published an article this week that provides vivid imagery and explanation behind the emerging crisis in Haiti. However like many articles that try to explain the complexity of Haiti’s challenges, it mistakenly promotes the idea that there is no hope among the people of Haiti.
We believe that as long as human beings exist, there is always hope. History tells us that even in the most challenging circumstances, humanity has the fundamental ability to rise above poverty, inequality, and chaos. Promoting the idea that Haitians are without hope dehumanizes their efforts to change the social and economic conditions within their country. There is always hope.
Now, more than ever, the people of Haiti need our support. That is why Hope for Haiti has launched the Haitian Solidarity Campaign to raise $10 million to help improve education, healthcare, infrastructure, access to clean drinking water, and economic opportunity for more than 300,000 Haitian children, parents and grandparents over the next five years.
Today, we are proud to announce that we have reached 30% of our goal following a generous $1.89 million gift by the Embassy of Qatar in the U.S. and the Qatar Haiti Fund to support Hope for Haiti’s Healthcare, Water, and Education programs. You can read the full press release here.
Your participation in this Campaign is critical. We invite you to consider a gift that will help our team achieve the following goals in the short and long-term:
- Education: Provide direct financial support and teacher training to 429 primary and secondary school teachers who educate 7,200 school children in Hope for Haiti’s school network.
- Healthcare: Import and distribute $75 million in high-value medication, medical supplies, and medical equipment to government and non-government hospitals, clinics, and healthcare centers that provide access to care for 200,000 people.
- Healthcare: Provide 100,000 primary care consultations for children, parents, and grandparents at Hope for Haiti’s Infirmary St. Etienne and at mobile clinics in rural communities.
- Access to Clean Drinking Water: Distribute home filtration systems to 12,000 families living in rural Haiti who lack access to clean drinking water and who are at risk of contracting waterborne illnesses such as giardia, E.coli, cholera, and other parasites.
- Infrastructure: Help communities build 20 new school blocks, including boys and girls latrines, to improve the quality of education for 3,000 school children.
- Infrastructure: Establish 30 computer labs in Haitian primary schools to support 7,500 school children.
- Economic Opportunity: Invest $3 million in 100 Haitian businesses and entrepreneurs through loans and grants directly impacting 2,500 workers.
We believe that now more than ever we must stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti. Thank you for being a good friend and partner to Hope for Haiti, and we look forward to making an impact together with the funds raised through the Haitian Solidarity Campaign and beyond.
In solidarity,
Skyler Badenoch
CEO