A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS ::: YOUN VWA POU PEP LA

Our Beloved People of Ayiti is simply astonishing. Breathtaking. One of a kind. Each time, more and more, I understand the most, that our key role is just to hear and strongly support our brothers in their envisioning and determinations. They know where and how they want to go. And, after all, the whatever, the however, the wherever, the whenever they choose, it is up to them, they own their destiny, and, finally, if we really want to show up our solidarity we should be present, tireless, and conscious solidary coadjuvants.

Some quotes:

“We saw the National Palace destroyed. I would like to see Haitian engineers rebuild it not foreign engineers so we can look at the Palace proudly in the future and say that Haitians built the National Palace.” 
(Grande Ravine, Port-au-Prince)

“A child who is not educated has no tools for the future, he/she is not important in the society”.
(Grande Ravine, Port-au-Prince)

“Even if the country has been destroyed it will not die” 
(Port-au-Prince)

“Since the earthquake, we are all homeless, whether rich or poor. I would like to see the country rebuilt as one, without divisions.” 
(Port-au-Prince)

EXCERPTS

[FULL DOCUMENT VIEW/DOWNLOAD BELOW]

SUMMARY:

By conducting a series of focus groups in Haiti’s ten departments, six partner organizations have sought to capture the opinions and aspirations of Haitian citizens who are not members of organized civil society groups and, as such, would not be included in any of the consultation mechanisms conducted for the donor conference. The purpose of this exercise was to attempt to ensure that the opinions of average Haitian citizens on the country’s reconstruction and development could be heard. In the course of 156 focus groups, 1750 Haitian citizens articulated several clear messages:

• There is a strong demand for participation and an end to exclusion. The exercise was an opportunity, often for the first time, for people to express themselves on issues of concern to their communities and to themselves as individual citizens. After 12 January, the quest of the common man/woman to put an end to exclusion and be part of the decision-making process on the way forward is stronger than ever. There is now a firm expectation from people at grassroots level that they should be consulted on a regular basis.
  
  
• Haitian people insist on decentralization and deconcentration of public services with increased participation of local management. There is a common demand that the reconstruction package benefit all Haitians, regardless of their status and location. Most want job opportunities closer to home, no matter how remote their communities and demand a say in the development of their regions. Such aspirations are generally expressed in terms of “decentralization” and “deconcentration” seen by nearly all as the only way to rebuild Haiti better.
  
  
• A clear majority of focus group participants, from both rural and urban areas, strongly believe that there is a critical need to invest in people (“investisman nan moun”). The main priorities should be the creation of jobs, the support to agriculture in order to generate development, the building of schools, hospitals, roads and increased access to micro-credit, the main objective being to enable citizens to assume their own family responsibilities.
  
  
• Responsible aid must reinforce Haiti’s sovereignty. A clear majority of focus group participants, from both rural and urban areas, strongly believe that there is a critical need to focus on support to agriculture in order to generate development and create jobs. Other priorities in the economic recovery are the building of roads and increased access to micro-credit. The overall purpose of reconstruction should be to enable the country to progress while avoiding aid dependency. Haitians do not see their future as being passive recipients of foreign aid.
  
  
• Haitian people insist on being treated equally and with dignity. Any reconstruction programme should be designed to correct existing inequalities between poor/rich, rural/urban and the capital/regions.

Focus groups highlighted the following five key immediate priorities in reconstruction:

• Housing: new dwellings for displaced people and the introduction of earthquake resistant
  building methods;
  
  
• Education: overhaul of the education system throughout the country, the reestablishment and regionalization of universities, larger schools to accommodate the children of the displaced people, civic education;
  
  
• Health: better health care, building of primary health care facilities and hospitals;
  
  
• Local public services: potable water, sanitation, electricity;
  
  
• Communication infrastructure: primarily roads to link cities and the countryside, but also national ports and airports.

A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS

nou ansanm tout pèp yo an Ayiti

Investisman Nan Moun