Volumes Achieved as Haiti's 'Change Caravan' Marks Its First Year

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, May 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

In the one year since Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse launched his flagship 'Change Caravan' initiative, the country has experienced significant improvements across several areas. The initiative, which facilitates closely coordinated efforts between the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Health, Finance and others, has allowed the government to address the fundamental needs of the Haitian people in a much more effective and efficient manner.

The initiative represents a bold new approach to Haiti's long-time lack of adequate infrastructure and other necessities which have prevented meaningful development in the country. Under the Change Caravan, the administration established a task force to include various ministries, so that each ministry's project plans across the country are aligned and timed with that of other ministries in order to maximize government resources, in collaboration with local governments. As a result of this unprecedented coordination, infrastructure project costs have been nearly halved and projects are being completed at a pace never before witnessed.

One of the administration's most ambitious goals is rural electrification, with President Moïse going so far as to promise 24-hour electricity for all Haitians by the end of his term. As part of the government's plan to meet that goal, since May 2017, over 7,000 individual solar systems have been distributed to households across 11 areas. Haiti's solar power station is also being reinforced and, in addition, small wind and solar power plants have been installed.

In an effort to improve Haiti's infrastructure, more than 200 kilometres of roads have been renovated. On the issue of the environment, 11 rivers around the country have been cleaned and contained and, in the south, treatment of hillsides, contouring canals, and other environmental work has recently begun, creating 10,000 jobs for local people.

President Moïse said, "The goal is for this government to be at the service of Haitian citizens. For decades, the relationship between the government and the people was in disrepair - international groups were providing the services and developing our country, which eroded confidence in the government. We have set out to win back confidence in what government can do, what it can be."

The President continued, "For a long time now, ministries haven't been moving fast enough to meet the country's needs, the people's needs. The Change Caravan is our way of putting an end to business as usual."  

In just one year, 8 hospitals and health centers have been rehabilitated, and 30,000 patients have been treated in 400 newly launched mobile clinics. To combat malaria and other diseases, roughly 170,000 mosquito nets were distributed in areas of the country that previously struggled to gain access to them.

With access to education being another priority area of the initiative, more than 400 classrooms have been renovated thus far, allowing 17,400 pupils to benefit from increased space to learn.

As part of the initiative, there also have been residential housing interventions. The Ministry of Social Affairs has completed construction of 150 houses for victims of Hurricane Matthew, and construction has begun on an additional 1,782 houses.

While its targets were ambitious and diverse, the Change Caravan initiative has managed to exceed expectations in its first year of operation. President Moïse and his administration have pledged to continue the initiative with the intention of delivering further positive change to the people of Haiti.