It seems that every day brings news of some new calamity in Haiti.  Today we learned that the Peace Corps is shutting down its mission and pulling its volunteers out.  Yesterday, it was more kidnappings. Tomorrow is anyone’s guess. With headlines such as these dominating the news, its hard not to become frustrated, disillusioned, and even down right depressed.  And while these feeling are only natural with the constant bombardment of disappointments and failures, the true test comes with our response.

Is there hope for Haiti? I’ve heard this question countless times, and my response is always a rhetorical “Haiti’s still there isn’t it?” To ask if there is a hope or a future for Haiti, while it may allow people to sleep better at night, is an assumption that doesn’t even deserve to be asked. Anyone who has spent anytime in Haiti, or has had any contact with the people of Haiti knows of the tremendous potential the people of Haiti possess.

So instead of asking, “Is there hope for Haiti?” We should instead be asking ourselves, “What can we DO today to improve the lives of the Haitian people?”  We need to replace hoping with doing.  Replace wishing for a better future for Haiti, with making a better future for Haiti.  We created Haiti Innovation to provide the means to make this a reality for everyone.

With Haiti entering yet another precarious chapter in its history, there are those that question the logic of starting a nonprofit specifically for Haiti.  We at Haiti Innovation couldn’t think of a better time.  It will most certainly be difficult, and there will no doubt be disappointments along the way.  However, we can not afford to turn our backs on Haiti.

Haiti isn’t going to go away, and neither is Haiti Innovation.