ActionAid and Haitians Build Communication Centers
Living in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haitians’ opportunities are limited as they struggle to earn a livelihood and feed their families. A lack of basic infrastructure, ability to access information and the constant pummeling of hurricanes, only compound the problem. ActionAid and our local partners are on the ground working with the country’s poor excluded people on various fronts including obtaining basic communication tools such as computers.
Supporting Haiti
Communication Centers
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Today, 80 percent of Haitians are living below the poverty line; with 54 percent of the population living in abject poverty. Haiti’s poor infrastructure and outdated communication system has rendered access to the Internet extremely difficult and expensive for poor communities – making it harder for local communities to know when a hurricane is approaching, utilize educational tools, keep abreast of political movements and much more.
Jackson Cadet, 17 years old, postponed school so he could help his family earn an income. He is now in second grade and looking forward to a communication center in his community.
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In an effort to equip Haitian communities with the power to access critical information, ActionAid is building community communication centers in Roseaux, in the southwest of Haiti, and Thiotte, in the southeast of Haiti.
Due to a lack of resources in these communities, children and young adults’ extra academic activities are neglected, causing aptitude constraint or delinquency. The community communication centers will allow cheap or free access to technology for children and young adults while also allowing the community to access critical information.
In addition to providing Internet access, the community centers will supply 20,000 children and young adults with modern educational tools for enhanced development, such as basic computer training and foreign language learning sessions.
“I started school very late because I had to help my parents in farming which is our only source of income,” said 17-year-old Jackson Cadet. “I am now attending second grade at the National School of Roseaux.”
“I believe the community communication centers will help me to advance rapidly,” he added. “This project will also serve greatly to my whole community, as it will boost its economical and cultural situation.”
Several development agencies and experts in the field recognize the ability of information and communication technologies to contribute to the education, economic, social and political development of children in marginalized populations.
Establishing communication centers in Haiti is only a small fraction of ActionAid’s work here. Join ActionAid and our partners in the developing world to end poverty.
