Community Health Initiative, Haiti

We envision a day when all babies are born with a skilled birth attendant present, no child suffers from malnutrition, people no longer die of diarrhea or pneumonia, and chronic diseases are identified and treated using local expertise in Haiti.

Our Community Health Workers (CHWs) provide nutrition counseling, blood pressure checks, well- child visits, and other wellness services to the community. They also provide training to birthing people and their birth attendants in Helping Babies Breathe, a neonatal resuscitation program which has significantly improved health outcomes for parents and babies. Our CHWs work year-round to bring CHI’s quality healthcare into homes of our partner communities in Arcahaie, Haiti.
The Gadyen Dlo program (Water Guardian), brings clean water into homes in Arcahaie. This simple water treatment product, made in Haiti, consisting of a specially-designed bucket fitted with a spigot and lid, and small bottle of solution, has vastly reduced the number of deaths caused by diarrhea in an area where our initial research showed fecal matter in 98% of the water sources. Gadyen Dlo is part of our larger water program, called Water for Life, in which we also have built and maintain latrines. We are in the final stages of installing 8 wells throughout the region with partner organization, Haiti Outreach.
CHI’s Recycling Center employs several Haitians to collect plastic for recycling. This program seeks to address the environmental devastation that results from the 40,000 lbs.+ of plastic imported into
Haiti every day. It also provides a steady income for several Haitians in our partner communities in Arcahaie. Our current recycling partner, Plastic Bank, also provides scholarships for the children of our staff to attend school.
In the past year — accelerated by the pandemic — we have shifted our focus to primarily Haitian-led clinics. In 2020, our team in Haiti was able to see 1,526 patients at four clinics, two of which included a home visit component to avoid gatherings during the height of the pandemic. We are fortunate to have an exceptional and committed team in Haiti, who have been running the clinics without US teams, providing continuity of care, which is a cornerstone of our model.

Currently we have 3 part-time, US-based paid staff, 13 Haiti-based paid staff, and a dedicated group of volunteers. We also have an active, working Board of Directors, most of whom have been on a clinic trip with CHI, and all of whom have committed to our Mission, financially, as well as with their time and talents. Our Mission guides our work: "Working in Solidarity to create healthy, empowered, and self-directed communities in Haiti, until the work is done!”

Our Clean Water Program has vastly reduced the number of deaths caused by diarrhea in an area where our initial research showed fecal matter in 98% of the water sources.
Our HBB research found a 71% reduction in neonatal mortality when a birthing attendant was HBB-trained and
present with a birthing kit.
Our Recycling Program has eliminated thousands of pounds of plastic from the island.
Our clinics have seen over 40,000 patients since our founding, offering life-saving health care in an area where many people would otherwise never see a doctor their entire lives.
What's next - we hope to continue our programs as well as expand the availability of a local doctor to the community as well as complete a permanent structure in the community that our staff can use for offering more education and training to the community.