Haiti is among the most mountainous regions in the world. This small caribbean island is lush and serene. Upon closer inspection, while the landscape may be abundant, sustainable access to clean water is not.
At Haiti Outreach, we work towards creating sustainable access to safe water for everyone in Haiti. We know we cannot achieve this massive initiative alone. That is why we count on the collaboration of DINEPA*, other local water authorities, and other NGO partners who will help us attain this lofty goal. We want to ensure that everyone in Haiti will have sustainable access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.
We know that all people need clean water, but studies have proven that women and children especially benefit when clean water is close and accessible. Most of the time it’s the women and girls who collect water for their families. Not only do they risk exhaustion from this tedious task which can take many hours, but the risk of violence to women is very real as well.
One example is Malia, a 17-year-old young lady from Trou du Nord. Overjoyed that her community inaugurated a new well in 2019, she shared that now she can spend more time doing homework and studying rather than walking miles to fetch water for her family. Now she not only has time to devote to her own studies, but also to help her siblings fulfill her dream of seeing them, all of them, pursue higher education.
This is a social issue that is being addressed one well and one commune at a time. The solution may seem simple, but the impacts of having water closer to home are immense.