Haiti
Total IDRC Support
54 activities worth CAD16.9 million since 1975
Our support is helping to:
- train teachers and researchers in high-quality science and technology skills
- equip Haitians to reduce toxins in the food supply
- prepare Haitian youth for digital job
- develop financial services for vulnerable women and youth
A devastating earthquake struck Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area on January 12, 2010. We are supporting critical research to help the country rebuild and prosper.
We have been supporting Haiti since 1975 by helping to lay the foundation for long-term peace and development with support for research that tackles poverty, increases food security, and ensures a better future for children and youth.
Growing food, improving livelihoods
Despite a climate and topography well-suited to the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, access to healthy, affordable food has long been a challenge in Haiti. With our funding, local organizations taught 1,100 Port-au-Prince residents how to grow food in small spaces. The outcome is impressive: improved diets and health, greater concern for the environment, reduced spending on food, increased self-esteem, and stronger neighbourhood bonds.
We also supported applied research in agriculture and food security with the creation of a national research consortium. The consortium acts as a knowledge centre and explores communication mechanisms that effectively share research results with local populations, key institutions, and market actors.
Investing in Haiti’s future
Haiti has one of the highest child mortality rates in the Americas — and one of the lowest inoculation rates. A five-year multi-funder initiative brought Haitian researchers, decision-makers and international collaborators together to improve vaccination rates. Researchers found that a number of factors influenced higher rates of vaccination, including greater parental awareness, increasing resources to offer improved services, and involving religious and community leaders in the dissemination of information about vaccination campaigns. With these findings, Haiti is now implementing new vaccination strategies and running a pilot program to improve immunization coverage.
Women and youth are also the focus of a multi-country research initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean. Research is examining whether social protection policies can foster economic empowerment when vulnerable women and youth use financial services such as deposits, credit, and micro-insurance.