Espwa Foundation

Espwa is the Haitian Creole word for “hope.” Our primary goal is to empower the people of Haiti by alleviating poverty, building relationships, and encouraging hope through the love of Jesus Christ. Practical extensions of this goal include: increasing access to healthcare, creating sustainable small business opportunities, supporting families through education and long-term development, providing farming opportunities for the community, sharing the beauty of Haiti through choir music, and investing in spiritual development through evangelism and discipleship.

Our main strategy is to partner with trustworthy and motivated Haitians who can serve as project liaisons in-country. Our project liaisons are the eyes and ears of Espwa, alerting us to needs, interacting with community members, and carrying out our goals throughout the year. To support this strategy, we conduct a variety of US-based fundraisers, such as running in the Pittsburgh Marathon, hosting the 150-mile Ride the GAP bike adventure, and managing other directed online social fundraisers. We are also blessed to have recurring and one-time individual donors, corporate donors, organizational donors, and church contributions.

First, our US-based volunteer leadership board has a variety of skillsets spanning the medical, financial, engineering, government, non-profit, and legal fields. Our unique team dynamic helps to drive steady progress as we’ve grown over the years. Second, our Haitian-based team of project liaisons provides oversight and accountability in-country. Third, we send 3 - 5 teams each year on a variety of medical and project-based learning trips. These trips allow us to stay connected and continue to build relationships with our project liaisons and Haitian friends. Finally, our website, social media platforms, and donor management system have allowed us to effectively garner support from donors and organizations. This support encourages us and drives us to keep working hard for the people of Haiti.

Over the past several years, Espwa has made a commitment to "helping without hurting" and avoiding paternalism at all costs. This dedication has seen tangible results in several of our key metrics. By investing in New Hope Hospital and St. Anthony's Clinic (including the staff and medications at this location), the medical services available to those we serve in Haiti has increased significantly. New Hope Hospital in particular opened up healthcare to more than 250,000 people in the Plaine-du-Norde region. Our family support program has allowed more than 20 children to remain in their families, attend school, and have some attempt at a normal, healthy childhood. The pastoral ministry of evangelism has produced dozens of opportunities for people to hear the gospel. We continue to look for ways to provide meaningful small business opportunities, particularly for the parents within the families we support, as well as assistance to our farming efforts.