Monday, January 7, 2008- Rainy Day, Presentation by SOL staff

Today was a very raining day. I did not think that we came during the raining season in Haiti. It has been raining a lot lately. Our plans were canceled due to the rain, which is usually the effect on case with everyone’s plans, the market, school and local businesses. The roads become unmaneuverable, and dangerous. We had great a discussion with the staff of SOL that was very enlightening about NGOs and non-profit organizations operating in Haiti. A major player of NGOs working in Haiti is USAID that funds organizations excluding the grassroots organizations which I feel strategically fails to strengthen the civil society in Haiti. They pick and choose whom they want to fund on a very politicized basis that does not aid the defavorize (disenfranchised) peoples that live depressing lives. Every action or choice has a political agenda behind it. The Haitians have no voice in how development in being “brought” to and given to them, instead of facilitated by themselves. Many of the development projects being brought to their communities are simply symptomatic relief of the issues that the masses deal with. Its like taking Nyquil for a cough, the symptoms of the cold are subsided but the viral or bacteria cause of the cough still is in the body to later show itself.
A transformation if communities and transformation of disempowered people is necessary for change. There is a psychology of disempowerment that leaves people feeling like they have no voice and cannot be actors to change their lives. Educational programs in one medium to empower communities to promote positive participation where one lives. Lack of funding and resources inhibits this, thus repeating the sad story of poverty and dependence. I learned today of many barriers that non-profit organizations face when in the start-up phase, such as: building trust, cultural barriers, setting up infrastructure, maintaining joy/interpersonal relationships, funding, local advocacy, building a team, framing a unique idea, drafting a focused mission, etc. just to name a few. Building community relations with community leaders is easily facilitated in Haiti by foreigners because they “stand out” and are often invited to events, also friendship s have been created with journalistic intents before these community leaders became elected into office. Knowing if SOL members cause them to be elected is a real unanswerable question.