Haiti

Country programme

What we do

Caritas Switzerland’s engagement in Haiti began with an emergency response over 40 years ago. Since then, its strategy has combined humanitarian and development approaches, given the country's extreme fragility. The objective of Caritas Switzerland’s country strategy for the 2021-2025 period is to contribute to the eradication of poverty in Haiti through the implementation of projects and programmes linked to income and climate.

In February 2020, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted a significant increase in the number of people in need, which had risen from 2,6 million in 2019 to 4,6 million. Of Haiti’s 11 million inhabitants, 41 percent live in multi-dimensional poverty, meaning they face food insecurity, and lack of access to clean water, health and education services, and income opportunities. The country’s ongoing instability and structural weaknesses, as well as repeated external shocks, prevent the population from meeting its needs.

Geographic location. The project regions of Caritas Switzerland are shaded in. © Caritas Switzerland

Raising incomes and creating employment opportunities are therefore key aspects in its development. To help vulnerable people access healthy, nutritious and environmentally friendly food, emphasis is placed on increasing production by small producers and developing inclusive market systems. In addition, Caritas Switzerland supports young and other vulnerable people to access high-quality technical training to allow them to successfully join the labour market.

Haiti is particularly vulnerable to climate change, which is increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters affecting the country. Caritas Switzerland supports Haitian producers in adopting renewable energy sources, such as biomass and solar, and encourages agricultural practices that protect the environment through reforestation and sustainable water management. Caritas Switzerland also promotes the establishment of disaster preparedness strategies.

Caritas Switzerland implements projects in Haiti through the country office in Port-au-Prince and the subsidiary office in Port-de-Paix, and works in partnership with local organizations and multi-sectoral consortia to strengthen the sustainability and localisation of activities.

Objectives

Income

Caritas enables youth, women, smallholders and other vulnerable people to increase their income thanks to improved skills and a more inclusive agricultural market system.

Smallholders and other value chain actors have gained access to the information, tools and services needed to improve the production and processing of sustainable products and nutritious food as well as market-related services and business contacts to enter higher added-value markets.
Youth, women and other vulnerable people have gained access to high-quality non-formal and formal vocational skills development.

Climate change

The basis of life is sustainably secured through the use of natural resources, adapted to climate variability and change, which takes into account the health of the supporting ecosystems.

Energy-efficient technologies (ovens, photovoltaics and renewable energy sources) make households less dependent on natural resources.

Emergency aid

Communities in humanitarian crisis situations can cover their basic needs.

People in humanitarian crisis situations are supported in their basic needs and get access to services in a safe, accessible and participatory manner.
Communities in humanitarian crisis situations are supported in the rehabilitation of basic infrastructure.

Snapshot

Engagement in the country for over 40 years
Our main partners: Caritas Les Cayes, Caritas Haïti, Chambre de Métiers et de l'Artisanat d'Haïti (CMAH), Collège National des Ingénieurs et Architectes Haïtiens (CNIAH), Fédération Nationale Des Femmes Maires D’Haïti, GADEL, Giradel Haiti, Institut National de Formation Professionnelle, Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale et de la Formation Professionnelle (MENFP), Swisscontact
Our main donors: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), European Union*, Medicor Foundation

^{*This is funded/co-funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Caritas Switzerland and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.}