Helping Haiti’s organizations get back on their feet

The IRC's support for Haitian organizations included a January 2011 advocacy workshop in which our partners learned about ways to effectively engage decision makers. This group was caught up in a lively discussion on how to convince opponents that sexual violence is an important issue.

Photo: Susana Ferreira/IRC

Natalie Parke is the International Rescue Committee’s civil society development manager in Haiti.

Cynics occasionally refer to Haiti as “the Republic of NGOs,” claiming that the country has lots of well-intentioned non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with little to show for their goodwill.  Fair enough.  But I’m not a cynic.  I firmly believe that the vibrancy of local organizations in Haiti can and will translate into meaningful development for the country.
 
Haiti is recognized for having more of these organizations per capita than any other country.  When the International Rescue Committee (IRC) arrived immediately after the January 2010 earthquake, we knew that we would need to tap into the strength of this vibrant civil society.  We wanted to be sure to support local groups in their recovery from the earthquake while simultaneously working in partnership with them to draw on their local expertise to achieve mutual objectives.  For the past several months, I’ve worked on a short-term civil society development project with the goal of bolstering the capacity of our partners. I’ve been able to witness firsthand not only the vibrancy, but also the tenacity of these organizations. 

During the earthquake, a partner for our women’s protection and empowerment program, Kay Fanm (Women’s House) lost their director, Magalie Marcelin, who was one of their founding members and a key player in the Haitian women’s movement.  Back in July, I met Yolette Jeanty, a feisty and radiant feminist who has since taken up the reigns as the coordinator of Kay Fanm’s programs.  She did not mince words when she identified the ways in which the IRC could support the organization. 

Since that initial conversation, the IRC has provided funding for the rehabilitation of Kay Fanm’s office, which was destroyed in the quake, enabling them to purchase a generator, telephones, computers and other equipment.  Through their partnership with the IRC, Kay Fanm have offered assistance to 358 victims of violence and abuse.  Jeanty says, “With the support of the IRC, Kay Fanm is able to pursue its mission to protect women and girls.”

The IRC’s child and youth protection and development program has worked closely with another partner, Zanmi Timoun (Friends of Children).  Our organizations collaborate in the effort to reunite family members with children who were separated during the earthquake.  Zanmi Timoun’s office was destroyed in the quake, so we have supported them in renting a new venue and purchasing office equipment.  Early in the partnership, we recognized the need to support Zanmi Timoun, not just financially and materially, but also institutionally. 

Zanmi Timoun requested trainings in project design and budget creation offered by the IRC.  Salvens Jean, my Haitian counterpart, and I held these trainings over the past few weeks, teaching the organization to develop “problem and strategy trees,” explaining how those translate into  project design, discussing the differences between “direct” and “indirect” costs, and identifying the criteria for evaluating a budget.  I do my best to avoid using French in favor of Creole—the language that is most accessible for our partners—and when I get stuck, Salvens is always able to help me out.

Of course, the challenges that Haitian organizations face are not isolated to individual groups.  With so many organizations in the country, it can be difficult to coordinate efforts, and sometimes, conflict and competition arises.  Haitian organizations have also complained that they’ve been sidelined in the international response to the earthquake and that they’ve been unable to participate and make their voices heard.  For these reasons, we invited Roxanne Paisible, the IRC’s Haiti advocacy and research officer, to hold a two-day workshop which would enable our partners to network, collaborate, and identify ways in which to effectively advocate.  At the end of the workshop, Mailé, a representative from Kay Fanm, said, “We like the IRC approach a lot; it’s not like other international organizations, because they reinforce local efforts and work in partnership with them.”

I firmly believe in the IRC’s commitment to supporting our local partner organizations, both to help them get back on their feet after the earthquake as well as to ensure their long-term sustainability.  Ultimately, we members of the IRC’s team in Haiti recognize that Haitians themselves must have ownership of the recovery and development of their country.