Haiti Outreach Pwoje Espwa (HOPE) local NGO has worked in the commune of Borgne in the Department du Nord, Haiti since 1995. It was formed in 1995 by a Haitian-American anthropologist who had worked with a Haitian immigrant in the U.S. on her research. The Haitian immigrant was from the commune of Borgne in Northern Haiti (a commune is a geographical subdivision similar to a county). The anthropologist conducted an exploratory visit to Borgne including a community assessment and local decision making process with community members in Borgne to form a local NGO in the commune. The anthropologist, Dr. Rose-Marie Chierici, today continues to serve as the Executive Director of the organization in a voluntary capacity with support from two other US-based senior management volunteers, all working in partnership with a local Haitian management team including a Haitian medical doctor trained in Cuba who has served as the administrator of HOPE community activities and clinical services since 2006. He is supported by a Community Outreach Coordinator who has worked with the organization for 18 years, first as a pharmacy assistant and then later as a community mobilizer in the cholera program. HOPE’s core community services are health prevention and clinical care. However, the organization also supports livelihoods and education activities in the community including supporting income generating groups and mobile schools for pre-k and kindergarten children as well as adult literacy programs.
Rochester, NY, 14614