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LOCAL CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM

BACKGROUND

After the earthquake, Tzu Chi USA carried out many distributions. During our relief efforts, many
local volunteers participated in Tzu Chi activities, including Danel, Pierro, Eveline, Jean Denis,
and Lesly. Danel owns his own not-for-profit organization with 30 years of operation; Jean Denis
who is a teacher and credited for starting the community classroom in St. Alexandro zone, is
a Tzu Chi commissioner and served as one of primary contacts of the Haiti chapter; Lesly, a
university graduate, became a Tzu Chi volunteer during Tzu Chi USA’s 13th visit to Haiti and
was responsible for part of the local chapter’s administrative work; Eveline works in the Haiti
Education Department; and Pierro is a dedicated community service provider.

LOCAL VOLUNTEER SUPPORTING PROGRAM

Many Haitian volunteers joined Tzu Chi during our disaster relief efforts. With their support, Tzu
Chi managed to carry out distributions, the Work for Relief program, Food for Students, and
efforts to provide free medical services. The volunteers’ own homes were damaged in the earth-
quake, they still volunteered their time to serve and help their people.

Though objectively minuscule in the context of the overall picture, bringing up, training, and
providing education to local volunteers, staff, and students in Haiti specifically respond to Goal
8 of Agenda 30, to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and
productive employment and decent work for all.

FUTURE PROJECTS

Recycling: Haitian local volunteers proposed a recycling plan: planting trees and plastic
recycling. Deforestation in Haiti is very common and due to the lacking of trees, in light of
hurricanes, mudslides are very likely to happen. Local volunteers are in the planning stages of
creating projects to plant trees in their community. There is a lot of trash on the streets of Haiti,
most of which are recyclable. Haitian volunteers proposed to collect these recyclables and sell
them to recycling companies. The income can be used to support local volunteers’ activities.

Orphanage: UN peace troops from Brazil and Nepal are working on schools and orphanage
reconstruction, one of which has been visited and inspected by Tzu Chi volunteers. This
orphanage will be built by Tzu Chi and UN troops from Brazil with Tzu Chi providing funding.

Agriculture: Most Haitians work only on small farms, and their food production is unable to
meet their own needs. Tzu Chi will evaluate how to help them increase productivity.

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