As we approach the third anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti there are both stories of progress as well as much criticism of how the rebuilding efforts have gone thus far. We at the Center believe that philanthropy has an important role to play in finding long term solutions for those most affected by this disaster. The models in practice we have highlighted in our previous guidance (including our guide Haiti: How Can I Help and our blog series) are both evidence-based and actionable, and represent our best thinking and analysis of how to help the devastated region recover and build local capacity for long-term progress. Examples of these practices profiled include community-based primary health systems, the graduation model for ultra-poor women, and community schools.
At the end of this month we will be meeting with a group of funders who care about sharing best practices and lessons learned on the ground in Haiti over the last three years, and who will focus on spreading knowledge of interventions with evidence of impact. We look forward to sharing what we learn there about best practices in a future blog. We believe that such convenings, along with a commitment to evidence and action, allow us to have a productive conversation about what has worked so far — and how we and donors can do more.