Flooding in Cayes

Focus Group Discussions set to take place in Les Cayes ( Haiti's third most populous city) on Saturday, February 27th, were cancelled due to the heavy flash floods that struck the area.

Two hours of heavy rains washed more than 1.5 meters (60 inches) of water flooding the city's hospital and prison, and leading to the death of 11 people. Several homes collapsed, roads were blocked by the water and people fled for safer areas.

The coastal city of Les Cayes, 160 kilometers west of Port-au-Prince, has a population of 70,000. It has been hosting survivors of the January 12 earthquake.
Yesterday's floods reminded us of the need to address the country's multi-hazard vulnerability within the PDNA.

Haitian Children - the country's present and future

With half of Haiti’s population below the age of 18, the development of Haiti will not be possible without a positive transformation in the lives and future of Haiti’s children. A central indicator of successful progress in the Haitian political, economic and social fabric must be measured against the well-being and prospects of Haitian children – in particular those most vulnerable (including girls, children with special needs, orphans, HIV positive, among others).
Even before the earthquake, 76% of the Haitian population lived in poverty, and 56% in extreme poverty. Child mortality rates are intolerably high; children who survive are afflicted by high rates of malnutrition. The great majority of children and their families have no access to clean water; half of Haitian families have no access to healthcare and almost half of children do not attend school.
The massive January 12 earthquake shattered families, killed approximately 230,000 people and has displaced over one million people. Among those affected children are one of the most vulnerable groups – with their survival, protection and development increasingly at risk one month following the earthquake.
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Findings so far from the Focus Group Discussions

Children share their views on the reconstruction and Long term Development of Haiti:
“I want rights of children to be respected and all children to know what their rights are. I also want everyone to have access to education,” says quake survivor Daphmika, 15, in Port-au-Prince.
“It’s important that the reconstruction process in Haiti not only concentrates on Port-au-Prince,otherwise people from other towns will keep on coming here and there will be more and more slums. Schools, universities and industries should be built in the provinces so that people in other towns can find work or go to school there.” says 17-year-old Meite.

Training of Trainers held in Croix des Bouquet

On Wednesday February 24th a Training of Trainers workshop was held for 17 participants including front line facilitators from Plan Haiti and partners Panos Haiti and FORSEF.
The workshop aimed to:
- increase participants' understanding of the PDNA project, and its sectoral approach (including Social Services, Infrastructure, Economic Sectors, Governance and Security).

- ensure all are aware of the 7 principles of child participation:
1 an ethical approach: transparency, honesty and accountability
2 children's participation is relevant and voluntary
3 a child-friendly, enabling environment
4 equality of opportunity
5 staff are effective and confident
6 participation promotes the safety and protection of children
7 ensuring follow-up and evaluation

- review the child friendly tools to gather data on the earthquake's Impact on children; and on children's Vision for the future development of the country.

Child Facilitator Caroline 18 from Jacmel shares with us her view on the importance of including children's voices in the PDNA: