We are H.O.P.E.

What characterizes the work of H.O.P.E. and the commune of Borgne are the close ties and working relationships built over 20 years of collaboration. All H.O.P.E. sponsored programs in Borgne are run and managed by Haitians.

Haiti Outreach Pwoje Espwa (H.O.P.E.) is a recognized non-profit organization established in Rochester, NY in 1996. H.O.P.E. works in partnership with residents of the commune of Borgne, Haiti to address their community’s needs, including health and wellbeing. H.O.P.E. has established close working relationships with peasant and farmer organizations and other civic groups that constitute the backbone of community governance in Borgne. These grassroots connections inform and guide every aspect of this collaboration. H.O.P.E’s role is to assist stakeholders achieve their objectives and to serve as the bridge that connects the community to the resources it needs to meet its health and development goals. H.O.P.E. is a near 100% volunteer organization, with only one part-time paid administrative assistant in Rochester, NY.

Since 2010, H.O.P.E has consistently expanded its network of international partners to extend its health, education, and community development initiatives. The GO Campaign provided assistance to earthquake refugees and helped establish our cholera response. Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières-MSF) also came to Borgne in response to the cholera epidemic and worked with us to establish a cholera treatment unit in Tibouk, operate several ORP sites in areas hardest hit by the epidemic and train volunteers to staff these sites. Since 2010 we have been the implementing partner with the American Red Cross (ARC) for cholera treatment and prevention programs. Through this partnership we fully integrated the initial MSF programs into our health care delivery system and greatly expanded the scope and efficacy of those programs. The partnership with the ARC has literally doubled the treatment and prevention capacity of our health system. We opened a second clinical facility in the village of Tibouk/Petit Bourg du Borgne and significantly expanded our ability to respond to the health care needs of the most remote regions of the commune through a commune-wide network of health agents, a youth corps, and water and sanitation technicians. The Youth Corps called AJ+, Alyans Jenn (the + to indicate their solid commitment) now numbers over 2000 dedicated members. Our Community Outreach Team which started as water and sanitation technicians, has become the eyes and arms of H.O.P.E./ASB--they lead community wide efforts to build water and sanitation infrastructure and a comprehensive community education program. Throughout the cholera epidemic, we have also worked with OXFAM and DINEPA to reconstruct capped water sources and build new water access points.