Projects

The past few months have seen a new rise in cholera cases due to the rainy season, and we are moving forward with a targeted distribution of hygiene materials to the most vulnerable households in Belle Fortune. In addition to the soap, chlorine, and sanitation materials we have previously received from Save the Children and IOM, we are filling out our hygiene kits with toothpaste, toothbrushes, and toilet paper, all in a clean, covered five-gallon bucket.

On the day of distribution, the team will also be conducting a series of hygiene promotion workshops, explaining how to most safely and effectively use the materials in the kits. With both the materials and knowledge in place, we aim to help support the families most at risk of contracting cholera.

As we wrap up the distribution, we are also exploring the ways in which the team members can initiate smaller-scale projects in their own personal neighborhoods, mobilizing their neighbors to address the issues facing themselves and enliven their own communities. These mini-projects will be of special impact. Several of the members who are leading the initiative reside in some of the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camps around Leogane and have first-hand knowledge of the needs of the people in these communities.

Micro-enterprise Development

We have also continued the discussion about establishing micro-enterprises to help support the team and their work. This includes reaching out to other like-minded outfits, such as Enersa, a Haitian-owned solar power enterprise, to see if we can learn from their example and explore options for working together in the future.

The Base

After waiting for some needed pairs, we’ve finally gotten the keys to our base and are busy setting up office. We have been receiving a steady stream of people interested in volunteering with the team in Leogane, and while we have unfortunately been unable to host volunteers before, we are now working to finish these improvements to be able to host international volunteers soon.

Moving Forward

We are very excited about the direction in which Resilience International Leogane is moving. As of early July, the international staff have shifted to shoring up the administrative and financial supports, while the Haitian team have taken full ownership of in-country projects. We are thrilled to have your continued interest and support and, as always, would love to hear from you at any time.

We have a house!

Great news, we’ve finally secured a wonderfully suitable house that will serve as our Base of Operations! With space for a variety of activities, we will be building up this beautiful space to fully accomodate our growing organization. We’ve also just recieved the Mayor’s full authorization for our activities in Leogane, so we’re really moving forward to build up our programs!

Hygiene and Toilets

While we have been crunching the data from our assessment in the Belle Fortune area, we have also been conducting several follow-up discussions with community leaders to build a more complete picture of the challenges facing the area. One of the biggest issues they have relayed to us is the need for adequte hygiene and sanitation. We are currently in conversation with Save the Children, UNICEF, and other NGOs to develop a plan to mobilize their water and sanitation resources in the neighborhood. We hope to accomplish this by combining a distribution of hygiene materials with a series of Hygiene Promotion (HP) trainings to ensure that they will be used effectively.

In addition, we are exploring options for installing ecological composting toilets throughout the area, as the toilets that did exist before the earthquake were largely destroyed and haven’t been replaced since. We are also approaching several other organizations about the possibility of collaborating on much-needed shelter projects in the area as well. We are excited about possibly implementing these projects soon and should have a much more detailed picture of how they would work in the coming weeks.

As we move forward with these projects, we will continue to be in need of your consideration and financial support. We are currently working on securing more long-term, sustainable sources of funding, but in the meantime we would really appreciate your continued support.

RI Microbusinesses?

We have also been making great progress in our weekly group meetings. As part of the effort for collabortively securing self-sustaining financing, we have also started exploring the prospect of establishing a series of collective microbusinesses under the RI Leogane umbrella. Profits from these operations would be pooled together and used for funding further operations. They would also help support our staff members themselves, who have all been volunteering their time so far. This in turn would enable the team to continue the necessary work in the community, while at the same time reducing their outright dependence on the constant search for more project-based funding from international donors. These conversations align quite strongly with our long-term planning for the progression of the group, and we are very excited about the opportunity they would open for our long-term sustainability!

As always, we will keep you updated as things progress.
-The team at RI