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Haiti 2021 Earthquake Relief Efforts

Devastating natural disasters in Haiti — a massive 7.2-magnitude earthquake followed by tropical depression Grace — have wreaked havoc in the country. With more than 2,200 people reported dead, over 12,000 injured, and hundreds more missing, as well as 100,000 homes and 130 schools destroyed, the people of Haiti are struggling to get back on their feet. And this comes on top of an already fragile security situation and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about our response.

Boucan Carre Area Program

Sponsor a child

Program Type

Community Development

Planned Life Cycle

2020 - 2033

Location

Haiti

Areas of Focus

Child Protection and Participation | WASH 

Program Timeline

Status: Active

Progress

3,518children and adults were trained on child protection, including positive parenting, children's rights and early marriage

Progress

2,142people had access to handwashing facilities at home or school

Progress

1,285people were trained or involved in community water, sanitation or hygiene initiatives

A white jeep driving through a muddy path, featuring a rainbow and trees in the background.

Program Details

Context

Boucan Carré, located in Haiti's Central Plateau, is home to 23,217 people. The vast majority of its families live in rural areas, with just 5 per cent residing in town. People in Boucan Carré share the same culture, language and way of life, despite differences in religious beliefs.

This is a predominantly mountainous area, with distinct rainy and dry seasons each year, and an average temperature of 25°C. Families rely on agriculture to survive: beans, corn, sweet potatoes and peanuts. Unfortunately, soil erosion and deforestation has damaged the land, and dwindling harvests are not meeting the community's basic needs.

Children are vulnerable in Boucan Carré—especially those who are living apart from their parents or have disabilities. Because many parts of the community are isolated, particularly during the rainy season when roads become impassable, families don't seek health services when they are sick or pregnant, and many children miss out on education.

Boucan Carré faces significant challenges, but families here are already making progress. Local institutions and religious leaders are collaborating to fight poverty, and families are participating in activities and learning opportunities. It's clear this community is determined to move forward.

...
Challenges
There are several factors that leave children in Boucan Carré particularly vulnerable. Many are living apart from their parents, orphaned, or have teenage mothers. Others come from large families or live in isolated areas. With widespread poverty, unhealthy living conditions, a lack of health services and an environment that's at risk for natural disasters, life is not easy in this community.

Water and Sanitation
The water systems that exist in Boucan Carré have fallen into disrepair, and approximately 88 per cent of families are collecting contaminated water from local rivers and springs. An overall lack of hygiene awareness, along with poor waste and sewage management, leaves families—especially children—vulnerable to disease. Over 73 per cent of families defecate in open areas, while only 8.5 per cent own their own pit latrines, and even these become waterlogged during the rainy season.

Health Care
Boucan Carré's young children face an uphill battle with their health and development. Malnutrition is widespread—most children under five are stunted and underweight—and many aren't fully immunized. Less than 30 per cent of families consume a properly varied diet. In addition, the community is home to only one health centre, which is difficult for isolated families to access. In the remote pockets of Boucan Carré, people rely on traditional healing methods that leave them at risk, particularly during pregnancy and childbirth. Typhoid fever, acute respiratory infections, intestinal parasites and diarrhea are the area's most common diseases, with children being disproportionately affected.

Child Protection
Awareness of children's rights is very low in Boucan Carré. Without financial or technical support, the local government struggles to function, and there are no existing structures to protect young people from abuse or exploitation. Children are rarely registered at birth, and preliminary data suggests as few as 65 per cent enroll in school when they should. They experience violence through physical and verbal abuse both at home and in school. (In Haiti, it's reported that 85 per cent of children experience this violence.) Without a culture that upholds children's voices, young people are systematically excluded from decisions that affect their lives. ...
Plans
Water and Sanitation
To promote a clean environment where children can grow healthy by drinking safe water, World Vision will:
  • Ensure the community—including schools and health facilities—has year-round access to safe drinking water.
  • Establish committees that ensure the maintenance and sustainability of water systems.
  • Create proper sanitation infrastructure in health centres and schools.
  • Equip families to practice proper sanitation and hygiene.

Health
In partnership with Boucan Carré's residents, World Vision will:
  • Teach parents and caregivers affordable ways to provide good nutrition for their children.
  • Train and equip local health-care facilities to meet the needs of the community with strong management and policies.
  • Increase immunization rates, medical support during pregnancy and delivery, and treatment for malnutrition and common illnesses.
  • Empower community leaders to promote children's health and survival.

Child Protection
To create a more secure, nurturing community for children, World Vision will:
  • Teach parents, community members and institutional leaders to adopt positive parenting strategies and more caring approaches toward children.
  • Collaborate with community groups and leaders—especially children themselves—to create an atmosphere where children are protected against abuse, neglect and exploitation.
  • Create child protection committees that monitor and respond to situations where children's rights are at risk.
  • Involve community members of all ages and vocations in the planning and implementation of development activities.
...
An image of children sitting on the ground in a classroom, writing in workbooks.

Results

Unless otherwise stated, data presented on this page reflects the most up-to-date results of World Vision Canada programs reported between October 2022 and September 2023, and any previous fiscal years available. Previously reported data may not match the current presentation as we continuously receive and refine data from our programs. If you have any questions, kindly reach out to us.