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The Nation of Haiti.

Haiti is a small nation located in the Caribbean Sea on the western third of the island of Hispaniola just 600 miles off the coast of Florida.  This tiny nation was once known for its lush, natural beauty, but today is one of the poorest countries in the world.  Each and every day the people face the crippling effects of poverty, undrinkable water, high infant mortality, poor medical care, illiteracy and high unemployment.  However, given the opportunity, the Haitian people will help themselves.  Haiti Outreach is committed to providing that opportunity.

The Vision of Haiti Outreach is:

"For Haiti to become a developed country"

It really can be stated that simply. What it means is that there is adequate food and clean water, health care and schools, maintained roads and electricity, and an economy and government that work for the people of Haiti. If we can help Haiti become as developed as the Dominican Republic, it would be a wonderful and giant step forward. This is our vision.

The Mission of Haiti Outreach is:

"To collaborate with the people of Haiti to build and maintain community-initiated projects that advance their development."

This is how we operate – this is what we do – in order to bring this vision into reality.

Haiti Outreach is a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Minnesota in the U.S. and Pignon, Haiti, that works with communities in Haiti on water, education and other projects that the people initiate, help build and sustain. We operate using a 4-point community development model for long term sustainability to ensure that the projects will last over a long period of time. In order for this to happen, a maintenance program based on an “economic system,” an exchange of money, must be created and used. Our work is based on a grassroots effort involving community responsibility, participation and ownership, unlike many well-intentioned “development” projects that lack this economic element and end up creating a dependency.  

About 90% of the work of Haiti Outreach has been to create basic clean water systems for people who usually obtain their water from polluted rivers or mountain streams.  We currently have three well drilling rigs that we use.  We also work with communities to design and build water systems that do not require electricity, if a clean source of water is available.  Since we started our work in 1997, we have helped to bring clean and available water to over 90,000 people, mostly in rural Haiti. In addition, we have helped a major city in Haiti, Gonaives, rebuild its municipal water system and repaired 8 large irrigation wells that suffered major damage from a hurricane.

 Haiti Outreach also helps to build public schools in communities that have no public school. So far we have helped build the public secondary school in Pignon, are currently completing an addition to that school, helped build the public school at La Jeune, and have many requests from other communities to help them build a public school. Public schools are rare in Haiti. Most schools are private, charging tuition that could be as much as 60 times what pubic schools charge, which is usually only around $5 US per year. Public schools allow the children of poorer families the opportunity to attend school, which otherwise they simply could not afford to do.

Haiti Outreach is based in the town of Pignon, Haiti, in the north-central part of the country on National Route 3, where we currently employ 18 people who do our community development work. We are a registered organization with the Haitian government and recognized as a private voluntary organization (PVO) with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Building Stronger Communities

Community is critical to the self-sufficiency, growth, and pride of any nation.  Haiti Outreach works to bring the people of Haiti together at the local level.  All projects must stress community participation and volunteerism.  The ultimate goal of each project is for the community to realize what can be accomplished when they work together. 

Furthermore, the community should feel that they own and are responsible for the up keep of what they have built together to benefit all.  This type of local ownership will ensure not only the short term accomplishment of a project but also the long term sustainability.  Together they discuss common problems, establish priorities, and assess their resources - land, labor, finances, building materials, and more.  Haiti Outreach facilitates this community building with advice and technical  assistance, working closely with community members and local authorities. In addition, Haiti Outreach raises funds to buy the project materials that the community simply cannot afford.

Partner with Us

We invite you to explore our vision, view our progress towards sustainable community development, and join our efforts to make an incredible different in the lives and communities of the poeple in Haiti.

If you would like more information on how you can partner with us, please use our request information form, send us an e-mail, or call 612-929-1122.

If you would like to make a donation to support and sustain this work, please visit our "Give Your Support" page.

Digging trenches and laying pipe

in the town of Pignon.

Haiti Ranks Last in Water Poverty Index

The Center for Ecology and Hydrology at Keele Univeristy  in Wallingford, England recently conducted the study to examine water access, environmental, and living conditions.  Haiti ranked last of 147 nations included in the research. The Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola, ranked significantly higher at 64.