Haiti

Country Program

Haiti is a region prone to natural disasters. Situated in a hurricane corridor and on a continental rift, the country suffers frequent tropical storms, earthquakes and drought on top of political instability and weak governance structures. Shocks by climate change threaten more than half a million Haitians each year. Destroyed crops, deforestation, and the use of wood to make charcoal are damaging the nation’s fragile ecosystem.

Haiti is the poorest country in the northern hemisphere. 2,5 million people live in extreme poverty and about 6 million people live on less than 2,5 USD / day. In rural areas, almost 90% live below the poverty level and basic social services are practically non-existent.

LWF has been present in Haiti since 1995. In order to maximize efficiency and impact for the people of Haiti, LWF has formed a joint program with ACT partners Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe and Norwegian Church Aid.

Opened in 2017 in Port-au-Prince, the joint office of Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH), the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) World Service, and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) responds to needs caused by natural disasters and social, economic, and environmental crises. The three organizations carry out joint projects in the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), livelihoods, climate adaptation, food security, and disaster risk reduction (DRR). In 2021, the joint office supported over 75,000 people through eight projects. In addition, awareness campaigns were conducted, tippy-taps and hand-washing stations were installed, and training were put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last updated 30 January 2023