FUNDING
In 2004, Haiti suffered the twin ordeals of violent political unrest that forced the resignation of President Aristide and two devastating floods that caused widespread death and destruction.
In FY 2004, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provided more than $140 million to help alleviate the impact of these events. An additional $38 million was provided from supplemental appropriations for reconstruction following floods from Tropical Storm Jeanne.
The FY 2005 Appropriations Bill has earmarked $85 million for Haiti. In addition, HIV/AIDS funding of $40 million and at least $30 million in food assistance are planned, bringing the expected total to more than $150 million.
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In March 2004, USAID initiated an emergency response that focused on supporting the Interim Government of Haiti (IGOH) by facilitating job creation, assisting key Haitian government ministries, and supporting vital services.
Employment and Economic Growth
USAID programs have provided 83,096 person months of employment since the civil disturbances in February.
Under the solid waste collection/job creation activity, approximately 85,000 cubic meters of solid waste have been collected in the Port au Prince metropolitan area.
USAID agricultural activities continued to have a significant and positive impact. The total value of targeted agricultural sales amounted to $1.1 billion, and a total of 69,000 farmers directly benefited from USAID programs. Coffee exports reached an all-time high in both quantity (323,774 pounds) and value ($548,727), while USAID’s efforts to establish and strengthen small farmers’ mango cooperatives resulted in a significant increase in mango sales (340,000 dozen) and a marked willingness to invest in new mango trees, reversing a long-established pattern of tree cutting.
Electricity
USAID is providing fuel to guarantee an average 12 hours of electricity a day in Port au Prince, a significant increase over the 2 hours per day that were being provided following the civil disturbances.
Almost $24 million is programmed for electricity; this funding should provide service through February/March 2005. Approximately $2 million is being used to repair four thermal units to make an additional 30 megawatts of electricity available for distribution.
IGOH Support — Strengthening Ministries
Ministry support requests have been compiled in the amount of $4.8 million. Support is being provided for facility rehabilitation, technical advisors, and commodities.
Interactive radio instruction broadcasts began in November, with more than 450 schools participating this year.
Assistance is being provided to improve maritime port security to comply with requirements of the International Maritime Organization's International Ship & Port Facility Security Code in Haiti.
Health
USAID’s health program works through a network of 28 local NGOs that covers approximately one-third of the Haitian population. The program has achieved vaccination levels in its target area of 90% of the children under the age of one.
USAID is working to strengthen and empower Ministry of Health (MOH) management units at the departmental level to work with the USAID health program network. Strengthened leadership should facilitate MOH replication of the USAID health program approach.
USAID is collaborating with the Department of Defense’s New Horizons to provide renovations and equipment to public and private health care facilities in 10 health departments of Haiti.
USAID continues to participate in the re-opening of the Gonaives Hospital and is reprogramming additional funds to support essential services in the regional department with the Ministry of Health. Specifically, USAID is rebuilding the perimeter security wall and working with MOH to re-establish routine services.
Disaster Response
Following the devastating floods in May and September, USAID was among the first to respond with medicine, food, and water to the affected populations.
Targeted food distributions are proceeding well with CARE providing monthly food rations to approximately 80,000 people per month.
Approximately 15,000 cubic meters of mud have been cleared from the town of Gonaives as part of USAID's cash for work clean-up programs that employ more than 5,000 people. All of Gonaives’ 250,000 residents will benefit indirectly from the cash-for work projects, as cleaning up the city will provide jobs, reduce the risk of disease, and increase mobility.
Tools are being distributed to residents of Gonaives to clean up individual houses.
USAID is rehabilitating public buildings and drainage systems; repairing key sections of primary roads, and providing household support to flood victims in the flood affected rural and urban areas of the Artibonite and Northwest Departments.
Work has begun to provide reconstruction assistance in the flood-ravaged areas between Port de Paix and Gonaives. This effort will rehabilitate damaged irrigation facilities in association with community-based actions to restore hillsides, to mitigate future flooding problems, and to recapitalize farmers with seeds and livestock.
