USAID/OTI Haiti Quarterly Report
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October - December 2011 |
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Program Description
The USAID Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) launched the Haiti Recovery Initiative (HRI) in January 2010 as part of the post-earthquake response. The initial focus was on supporting short- and medium-term activities aimed at stabilizing Haiti through assistance for community revitalization, improved governance, and economic strengthening. HRI moved to a new phase in March 2011. The current strategy has two objectives: 1) catalyze economic growth by supporting agriculture, energy, and infrastructure; and 2) ensure long-term stability by investing in public institutions. OTI advances this effort by promoting economic growth and stability in the three U.S. Government Strategic Development Corridors of Port-au-Prince, St. Marc, and Cap Haitien.
Program Areas
Enabling the Government of Haiti to Function – In coordination with USAID/Haiti and international partners, OTI is supporting the democratic transition to the administration of President Michel Martelly. OTI assists the Government of Haiti (GOH) at the local and national levels through technical assistance for urban planning, decentralization, economic growth, and recovery efforts. In this quarter, OTI supported the GOH's groundbreaking event for the Caracol Industrial Park, inaugurated the temporary buildings of the Haitian Parliament, and began providing technical assistance to the new Presidential Advisory Council on Economic Growth and Investment and President Martelly's Council of Advisors.
Community Stabilization – OTI is revitalizing historically underserved areas, strengthening communities, and resettling internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the three target areas. Illustrative projects include the following: providing manufacturing equipment to increase production of Medika Mamba (a fortified peanut butter supplement used to treat malnutrition); renovating the Gymnasium Vincent in Port-au-Prince to enable sporting and community events to resume for youth and the public; and relocating 1,357 families from public squares serving as makeshift camps to longer-term housing options.
Increasing Citizen Engagement – OTI is working to improve communication between the GOH and its citizens by supporting outreach efforts and building capacity among local government and non-governmental bodies to express community-level needs. OTI renovated the Limonade Cultural Center, a hub for community meetings and activities. OTI is also providing Internet services to residents and local municipal offices in St. Marc, enabling area schools, police, and the mayor's office to receive free broadband connectivity for one year.
Country Situation
Nearly two years after the earthquake, considerable progress has been made in recovery and reconstruction. Roughly half of the 10 million cubic feet of debris from the earthquake has been cleared from Port-au-Prince and affected areas, more Haitians have access to clean water now than before the earthquake, there is steady progress in the resettlement of IDPs from camps to longer-term housing, and the economic growth rate is encouraging (6.1 percent in 2011). As a result, international assistance efforts are shifting from humanitarian relief to long-term reconstruction and development projects in close coordination with the Government of Haiti.
A number of significant political events occurred in 2011, including the successful second round of national elections on March 20, the entrance of President Michel Martelly into office on May 14, and the appointment of Prime Minister Gary Conille and designation of a new Supreme Court Chief Justice in October. For the first time in over six years, all three branches of the Haitian government are functional and there is a sense of political stability.
In the first six months of the Martelly administration, education, economic development, and establishment of the rule of law have been priorities. Signs of progress can be seen in each sector. Students are returning to school and President Martelly has pledged to offer free public education to Haiti's children. Construction of an industrial park close to the northern city of Cap Haitien, which promises to bring more than 20,000 jobs, is moving forward with support from U.S. and Korean investors. Reconstruction of the Port-au-Prince airport is underway, and hotel construction is proceeding at a rapid pace. In addition, progress can be seen on President Martelly's 16-6 Initiative to resettle IDPs residing in six camps and improve living conditions in various locations. As of December 2011, more than 1,300 families living in camps at Place Boyer and Place St. Pierre—popular public squares in Port-au-Prince that were overtaken by IDPs—have been resettled and provided with longer-term housing solutions.
Despite such notable developments, formidable obstacles lie ahead. President Martelly has vowed to reinstate a Haitian military force, notwithstanding a history of military violence and international concerns. Furthermore, constitutional amendments believed to be passed under Martelly's predecessor are being re-examined, casting a shroud of uncertainty and creating confusion about which constitutional laws should be enforced. Finally, the time line for municipal elections—tentatively scheduled for the spring of 2012—remains in question, as the final schedule is largely dependent on the outcome of a constitutional amendment dispute.
Upcoming Events
| January 12 |
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Second anniversary of the 2010 earthquake |
Grants Summary
Since January 2010, OTI, through its implementing partners, DAI and Chemonics International, has funded 782 small grants totaling $83 million. Funding breaks down by sector as follows: Community Stabilization, 73%; Enabling the GOH to Function, 17%; and Increasing Citizen Engagement, 10%.
Activities
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| Photo credit: USAID |
Young people play soccer in Place St. Pierre
in Pétion-ville. |
Resettling Families – OTI worked with the mayor of Pétion-ville and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to resettle 1,357 families residing in two public squares in Port-au-Prince. Following the earthquake, thousands of people took up temporary residence in parks and public squares. Responding to the need to restore normalcy in Haiti, OTI launched a pilot program in Pétion-ville. Working closely with IOM and the mayor, OTI offered the displaced families three relocation options: housing repairs to structurally sound, existing homes; installation of temporary shelters; or one-year rental vouchers. The program demonstrated remarkable success: within four months, all of the families safely moved out of the squares. The two public squares that were covered by tents are now open spaces where local residents may once again gather informally and share in communal events.
Providing Space for Parliament – OTI inaugurated new temporary structures for Haiti's Parliament this quarter. After the January 2010 earthquake destroyed the former parliament building, the Haitian legislature lacked a designated space to convene. The lack of meeting space stymied governance and hindered recovery efforts. Following the devastation, USAID committed to providing the Parliament with a semi-permanent facility to restore normal functioning. The new structures provide 22,000 square feet of office space, as well as a common room for general assembly. Although the buildings are temporary, the Haitian Parliament will use them for several years, until a permanent structure is constructed.
Communicating about the Northern Industrial Park – In partnership with the GOH and international donors, OTI broke ground on the Caracol Industrial Park. The park is a multimillion dollar investment with a garment manufacturing center at the forefront. OTI is working with the GOH to inform local residents about the park. OTI has installed billboards, distributed pamphlets, and established information kiosks throughout the north, as well as convened community town hall meetings. In conjunction with the ground-breaking ceremony, OTI provided free t-shirts, ensured local press coverage, and granted official access for area residents. The ceremony featured President Michel Martelly, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, U.S. Ambassador Kenneth Merten, and fashion designer Donna Karan. The industrial park is anticipated to generate 20,000 jobs within the first phase of operations and upwards of 65,000 at full capacity. Through these efforts, OTI aims to enhance the visibility of the GOH in the Northern Development Corridor by underscoring the time, attention, and investments being made by the Martelly Administration to generate economic growth.
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OTI produced this billboard to publicize the
Caracol Industrial Park. |
Rehabilitating Textile Training Centers in the North – In the Northern Development Corridor, OTI is refurbishing two industrial facilities that will help Haitians prepare for employment opportunities expected when the Caracol Industrial Park opens. The program is working with the Institut National Pour Le Développement et La Promotion De La Couture (INDEPCO) to rehabilitate the Trou du Nord Industrial Sewing Training Center and the Caracol Sewing Training Center. Once complete, the centers will provide space to train 240 students in garment manufacture and assembly skills. Through this project, OTI aims to build job skills training capacity in the region and help develop a skilled workforce for the coming industrial park.
Improving Water Resources in St. Marc – OTI is working with the Mouvement des Citoyens pour le Developpement de Goyavier (MCDG), a community-based association, to construct a water catchment basin in Goyavier, near St. Marc. Goyavier currently lacks an adequate reservoir system and suffers from severe water shortages. The water catchment basin will benefit approximately 431 families, who will use the water to irrigate crops. This project is coordinated with USAID's five-year Watershed Initiative for National Natural Environmental Resources (WINNER) program, which is working with MCDG to increase coffee production in Goyavier. MCDG has been unable to properly cultivate coffee seedlings because it lacks sufficient water resources. Once the basin is in place, the WINNER program will work with MCDG to train local farmers to develop coffee value chains. With these investments, OTI is supporting immediate-term economic growth in the St. Marc Development Corridor.
Refurbishing Chemtek University – OTI worked with Chemtek University, Haiti's only university to offer a degree in chemistry, to refurbish its laboratory and offer scholarship opportunities to students from the Bel Air and Martissant neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince. OTI procured technical and scientific equipment to retool the laboratory and allow the university's 450 students to resume their full studies. In return, Chemtek provided full scholarships, worth $24,000 over 2 1/2 years, to 10 students, 5 from each community. The recipients have already begun their studies.
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| Photo credit: USAID |
| USAID provided assistance to retool labs at Chemtek University. |
Launching a Road Safety Campaign in St. Marc – In coordination with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the charitable foundation of Samuel Dalembert, a Haitian-American NBA player, OTI launched a road safety campaign in St. Marc. The IDB recently rehabilitated Route Nationale #1, which connects Port-au-Prince and St. Marc. However, since the roads were improved, residents have seen a significant uptick in the number of traffic accidents and motor vehicle-related fatalities. Responding to this unintended consequence, the IDB and OTI designed a joint road safety program. The IDB is airing a series of radio soap operas promoting safe-driving practices and is installing 300 traffic safety signs. OTI is conducting safety training sessions with taxi drivers. Drivers who pass the training receive a complimentary helmet emblazoned with their Haitian license. Through these efforts, OTI and the IDB aim to improve driver safety and awareness of safe-driving practices.
Program Evaluation
During the quarter, OTI marked significant achievements. In addition to the projects highlighted above, OTI made significant investments in educational and vocational training activities, installed solar-powered lamps in key neighborhoods and along main highways, helped farmers effectively plant and irrigate crops in St. Marc, rebuilt and fortified rain-weary ravines, refurbished universities to bring students back to school, and reequipped health clinics to improve urban and rural health care. Through this work, OTI demonstrates its agility in responding rapidly to both community-level and nationally-driven needs.
At the start of 2012, OTI looks ahead to an ambitious portfolio of programming in all three development corridors. In January, OTI will commence textile-skills trainings for workers in support of the Caracol Industrial Park and begin rehabilitations on a maternity ward in St. Marc. With elections ahead, OTI anticipates supporting democracy and governance programs in coordination with the USAID/Haiti Mission. Finally, while OTI maintains a strategic vision and country objectives for Haiti, staff remains sensitive to conditions on the ground and is poised to swiftly deploy resources and pilot new activities.
For further information, please contact:
OTI Haiti Team, DCHA.OTIHaitiDCProgramManagers@usaid.gov.
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