Haiti Innovation was founded five years ago by four Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Haiti.  We wanted to do this because we felt Haiti had given us more than we were able to give back during our two and a half years of service.  This website has been a way for us to repay a debt - to Haitian colleagues, friends, and family who we learned from and have not forgotten.   Haitians like to say that their country has teeth - it bites on to you and it doesn't let you go.  Haiti has changed, we've changed, and the website has changed.  But five years and 527 blogs later, Haiti still hasn't let go.  Read more »

In late 2006, we were blogging about Haiti’s kidnapping crisis.  Now in late 2009, we are blogging about investment opportunities.  Much has changed.  Just last week, hundreds of potential investors gathered for the largest investment conference ever held in Haiti, organized by the Inter American Development Bank with financial support from the Canadian government.  Will trade become more important than aid some  day?  This depends on the answers to two questions.  First, can investors make a return on their investments?  Second, will the government allocate new resources in an effective, accountable way that benefits all of Haiti and not just the cities?

On September 11th, winners will be selected for the Pioneers of Prosperity Caribbean Awards 2009.  Two Haitian companies are in the running: (1) Alternative Insurance Company, founded in 2001 by Olivier Barrau to provide a range of insurance products aimed at Haitians earning less than $4 a day, and (2) Solutions S.A., founded by Kurt Jean-Charles in 2000 to create customized database solutions and  information systems.  Both companies demonstrate the potential of Haitian businesses and we wish them the best of luck.  More details about the contest are below. Read more »

In the article below, Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald writes how, despite Haiti's many challenges, roads are being built, power plants constructed, and business opportunities growing. Investments in Haiti - in the capacity of its government, in its infrastructure, and increasingly in its private sector, are starting to pay off.  Haiti is a country under construction, with something that it has not had for years...momentum.       Read more »

The past month has been important for Haiti.  The World Bank, IMF, and the IDB forgave $1.2 billion of Haiti’s debt.  Deals were reached with members of the Paris Club to cancel an additional $152 million in debt.  Bill Clinton made his first trip to Haiti as UN Special Envoy.  Plus, discussions at the G8 Summit indicated we may be on the verge of a historic shift in how food assistance is delivered, to the benefit of Haiti and other food insecure countries. Read more »

Jonathan Katz reported that the World Bank, IMF, and IDB canceled $1.2 billion of Haiti's debt Tuesday, freeing up millions of dollars for much needed poverty reduction programs.  Needless to say, this is excellent news.  Given the scope of Haiti's needs, it never made sense its citizens should have to pay $1.6 million in debt per month, most of which was acquired under dictators that they never voted for.  This represents a measure of confidence in the Preval Administration, which now has a bit more economic flexibility than it had before.  More info below.    Read more »

I hardly contemplate the number of times I turn on a water tap in a day or barely appreciate the fortune of flushing the toilet after each use. After spending just a few days in Haiti you come to see water as the "blue gold". Access to safe water for drinking and hygiene prevents disease and dehydration and allows for economic and social growth. The RFK Memorial Center for Human Rights, Partners in Health, and NYU Center for Human Rights and Global Justice are partnering together to assess the right to water in Haiti. The launch of the Right to Water report will take place in NYU School of Law on June 23rd. Read more »