Haiti is at a crossroads. Violence in the capital and beyond is impacting the whole country, but Haitians everywhere are continuing to push forward. Families are caring for their young, teachers are showing up to school, and children are dreaming about their futures. ActionAid Haiti remains committed to the work it’s been doing over the past 28 years.
Life in Haiti can be complex, especially for those sending their children to school. 1,188,455 children, including 774,196 girls, are deprived of their education due to chronic socio-political instability, violence, and a lack of resources. To complicate matters, the private sector controls 90% of the education system. Such unprecedented and massive privatization has had dramatic consequences: families, overwhelmed by poverty and insecurity, are struggling to cover school fees.
For many parents, being unable to pay tuition fees means their children are either forced to stay home or are at risk of being exploited, forcibly recruited by gangs, and plunged into an uncertain future.
ActionAid in Haiti aims at mobilizing the Haitian diaspora around one clear objective: ensuring Haitian youth have access to education and equipping them to become agents of change in their country.
Although education is a fundamental right and plays an important role in building a more peaceful and sustainable world for all, approximately 50% of children in Haiti do not attend primary school, and thousands are at risk of dropping out due to complicated circumstances. The lack of access to education for children and young people, extreme poverty, and the security crisis are robbing children of the chance to receive a proper education, placing them at high risk of being recruited by gangs. Education not only helps to reduce violence and poverty but also paves the way for a more stable future for the entire country.
ActionAid has been working across the education sector in Haiti for 12 years. Our approach is rooted in primary school education alongside integrated skills training.
students now learning in new classrooms at the new Deyesse de la Cruz National School in Lascahobas.
children now learn in safe, fully restored school with clean water access, improved sanitation and structural repairsat the Carrefour-Charles School in Grande’Anse and the Gerard Baptiste Community School in Vallue.
At ActionAid, education extends beyond the classroom, and we incorporate skills-building and psychosocial support to help children overcome trauma from the cycle of natural disasters and violence. Since 2018, over 2,500 children have learned about their rights, enabling them to defend their futures and understand their responsibilities as citizens. Our sustainable initiatives, like school gardens, teach agroecological practices and environmentally friendly actions, promote environmentally and culturally sustainable agriculture, improve nutrition and food security, and encourage environmental protection.
At ActionAid, education extends beyond the classroom, and we incorporate skills-building and psychosocial support to help children overcome trauma from the cycle of natural disasters and violence. Since 2018, over 2,500 children have learned about their rights, enabling them to defend their futures and understand their responsibilities as citizens. Our sustainable initiatives, like school gardens, teach agroecological practices and environmentally friendly actions, promote environmentally and culturally sustainable agriculture, improve nutrition and food security, and encourage environmental protection.
With your contribution, we can continue to significantly impact the lives of those affected by the crisis in Haiti. Your generosity can bring light to the darkest of times and show the people of Haiti that they are not alone in their struggle.
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