Pouvwa pou pèp la : non-governmental organizations and community engagement in Haiti

Abstract

For decades, numerous NGOs, foreign and local, have implemented hundreds of projects in Haiti. I have interviewed a variety of NGOs working in Haiti to learn more about the methods used to connect communities and local government with projects in order to foster governance and organizing capacities. From local to foreign, small to large, every NGO documented here experienced different opportunities and barriers when working with community members and local governments on the implementation of projects. The following Professional Report identifies important and successful community engagement practices pursued by NGOs, but also reveals the lack of capacity building methods used in the projects described here. Based on previous academic research in the field of disaster relief and the interviews conducted, I conclude by providing recommendations for better engaging communities in an effort to build capacity within local Haitian communities and within the Haitian government