Federal Newswire: What does your organization do and why is it active in Haiti?
Project HOPE: Project HOPE is a global health and humanitarian aid organization. Since 1958, we have been operating in more than 25 countries around the world. We work side-by-side with local health systems to save lives and improve health. Project HOPE has worked to support the people of Haiti since the 1980s, including programs in maternal and child health, and emergency response to the 2010 earthquake, Hurricane Matthew, the 7.2 earthquake of 2021, and the 2022 Cholera outbreak.
Federal Newswire: What was the catalyst for starting the organization?
Project HOPE: Since 1958, Project HOPE has confronted the world’s greatest health challenges and daunting emergencies. It started when Project HOPE’s founder, Dr. William B. Walsh, M.D., was moved by the poor health conditions he encountered in the South Pacific, while serving on a Navy destroyer during World War II. In 1958, Dr. Walsh worked with President Eisenhower to charter a U.S. Navy hospital ship, a donor contribution allowed Project HOPE to start, and the ship became known as the SS HOPE. For 14 years, the SS HOPE made 11 voyages to serve the world’s most vulnerable people in every region of the world, providing health care for local communities and building health systems that could renew themselves for decades to come.In 1974, the SS HOPE was retired, and since then Project HOPE has been conducting land-based programs carrying on the legacy of Dr. Walsh. Project HOPE began working in Haiti in 1984, with a project to develop clinical laboratory capacity at the University of Port-au-Prince. Since then, our programs have focused on improving maternal and child health and strengthening the health workforce through training and provision of essential medicines and equipment.Project HOPE has also supported Haiti in the wake of natural disasters, providing immediate relief and long-term strengthening. Our major emergency responses in Haiti include the 2010 earthquake, Hurricane Matthew, the 2021 earthquake, and the 2022 Cholera Outbreak.
Federal Newswire: Can you describe what a typical day/week is like for your workers in Haiti?
Project HOPE: In early 2023, Project HOPE began implementing a multi-sectoral response to Haiti’s complex humanitarian crisis driven by the recent cholera epidemic and compounding instability. The program addresses health, protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) needs at health facilities in communities across the governorates of Sud, Grand’Anse, and Nippes.Project HOPE works with local staff, physicians, nurses, social workers, and community health agents and provides multiple capacity-building workshops. Trainings cover cholera prevention, treatment, and infection control as well as operations and procedures. Project HOPE has also completed a baseline survey in the targeted communities as part of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan.Project HOPE also works with partner, Health Equity International, to respond to cholera cases, and deliver essential supplies and supporting health staff to provide care to suspected and confirmed cholera cases.Our team educates vulnerable community members in St. Boniface, L’Asile, and Corail hospitals on how to recognize symptoms of cholera and avoid transmission. Project HOPE continues to coordinate prevention activities with treatment centers and Community Health Agents.Project HOPE completes in-depth WASH assessments of each targeted treatment center and has initiated rehabilitation projects, including the construction of latrines and proper wastewater management systems at the cholera treatment centers. Project HOPE imports multiple WHO Cholera kits into Les Cayes to support targeted centers.
Federal Newswire: Who are the people in your organizations (employees, volunteers, Haitians, Americans, etc.)?
Project HOPE: Project HOPE’s teams are made up of medical, logistics, security, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) experts who are on the ground in Sud Department and Port-au-Prince and in neighboring Santo Domingo.
Federal Newswire: What are the challenges that your organization faces in Haiti and what do you need to help overcome them?
Project HOPE: The health crisis has been compounded by a deteriorating socioeconomic, political, and security context, including a blockade of essential humanitarian and civilian supplies into Port-au-Prince. As a result, Haitians are experiencing rampant human rights abuses, food insecurity, fuel shortages, and an interruption to health access – set against the backdrop of worsening impacts of climate change and the threat of natural disasters.Despite the challenging security context and access limitations, Project HOPE has made substantial progress in its launch of the cholera response program.
Federal Newswire: What else do you want the general public to know about your organization?
Project HOPE: Founded in 1958, Project HOPE is a leading global health and humanitarian organization operating in more than 25 countries around the world. We work side-by-side with local health systems to save lives and improve health. Our mission is at the epicenter of today’s greatest health challenges, including infectious and chronic diseases, disasters and health crises, maternal, neonatal and child health and the policies that impact how health care is delivered. For more information on Project HOPE and its work around the world, visit www.ProjectHOPE.org and follow us on Twitter @ProjectHOPEorg.
Armand Viscarri is the Media Relations Manager for Project HOPE.
