In Haiti, political chaos did not stop grassroots leaders from organizing a massive COVID public education and prevention campaign

“When we learned of deaths from COVID in Northeast Haiti, we all agreed that nothing would stop us from doing whatever we could to prevent people from catching and spreading the virus.” – Florcie Tyrell, OPODNE Executive Director

Thanks to your support, OPODNE overcame government dysfunction and organized a department-wide public education campaign reaching 300,000 people in the Northeast.  These efforts provided reliable information by sponsoring local radio shows, distributing fliers, and using megaphones to make announcement at public markets. Leadership teams in every town distributed masks, gloves, disinfectant, and washing stations to promote health practices. Click here to support Florcie and OPODNE.

Since OPODNE was founded six years ago, leaders have leveraged $400,000 public and private investments. Leadership teams in 13 towns organized community-improvement activities like road building, tree planting, clean-ups, and teacher training. In spite of drought, hurricanes and government dysfunction, they are sustaining eight cooperatives and three micro lending programs. OPODNE will not stop until they establish grassroots organizing efforts in other departments in Haiti. OPODNE will not stop until leaders in Haiti and the diaspora are united in efforts to improve US policy toward Haiti and Haiti’s legacy of grassroots democracy is re-established.