Country Profile
An incredible artistic tradition, cloud forests, and unique culture are just some of lesser-known aspects of Haiti. The first Caribbean nation to attain sovereignty, Haiti's once promising future has been marred by corruption, violence, and poverty. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The country continues to be plagued by issues of personal security, economic decline, and questionable governing.
A massive magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010 with an epicenter about 15 km southwest of the capital, Port-au-Prince. An estimated 2 million people live within the zone of heavy to moderate structural damage. The earthquake is assessed as the worst in the region over the last 200 years and massive international assistance is required to help the country recover.
In April of 2011, it was announced that Michel Martelly was the winner of the Haitian presidential elections.
CRWRC has been working in Haiti since 1975. In recent years, CRWRC has joined forces with other Christian Reformed Agencies in Haiti and works under the name of Sous Eswpa, which means "Source of Hope."
Despite the unstable environment of Haiti, Sous Espwa's work with partners continues to bear fruit.
Fast Facts
Population: 9,035,536 (July 2009 est.)
Area Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Literacy rate: 52.9%
Life expectancy: 60.78 years years
Population below poverty line: 80% (2003 est.)
Gross Domestic Product per capita: $1,300 (2008 est.)
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3%)
note: approx. half the population practices voodoo
Languages: French (official), Creole (official)
(From the World Factbook. Click here for more information on Haiti)
Program for Training Diaconal Organizations (PWOFOD)
PWOFOD works with churches in urban Port-au-Prince neighborhoods. Through PWOFOD programs, church deacons are trained to reach out to people in the community. PWOFOD also helps churches start small-loan programs for business owners, and literacy classes for adults.
Christian Center for Integrated Development (SKDE)
SKDE focuses on communities in poverty in the rural parts of Haiti. SKDE helps people form community groups – called co-operatives. Through these co-ops, SKDE provides adult literacy classes, agricultural training, and micro-credit.
Union of Baptist Churches in Haiti (UEBH)
UEBH has a variety of ministries. CRWRC works with two of them. Through Federation of Youth Associations (FAJ), CRWRC is working on innovative and dynamic young adult ministries. This includes training on civic education, environmental awareness, HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, spiritual formation, and entrepreneurship.
CRWRC also works with the Theological Seminary of Port-au-Prince (STEP). STEP is located in a very poor area and its leadership wants to improve its ability to meet the needs of people in the community. To get started, they identified three neighborhoods where they would focus their attention. They now assist these communities in health, literacy and micro-credit.
Christian Reformed Church of Haiti(ECRH)
The CRC of Haiti is involved in youth ministries, developing church leadership, evangelism, women's programs, diaconal training, and radio broadcast. CRWRC supports the ECRH by providing advice and consultation to its deacons. Through this support, ECRH is able to better meet the physical and spiritual needs of people in the communities around their churches. ECRH is also involved in literacy, environmental awareness, and AIDS prevention.
Ministry of Christian Development (MDK)
The MDK offers a three-year program to provide practical and theological training to pastors, deacons, and church leaders for the benefit of the churches and communities they serve. MDK also works at developing and distributing simple Bible study and discipleship materials in the Creole language.
MDK was formed from three programs that had formerly been run by Christian Reformed World Missions. When MDK made the shift to functioning as its own agency, they asked CRWRC to come alongside them to offer advice and support, especially in the areas of diaconal training, AIDS prevention, and community development.
Relief Projects
2010 ~ Click here for details on CRWRC's response to the severe January 12 earthquake.
2008 ~ After 4 hurricanes and tropical storms hit Haiti in the summer of 2008 a relief program was started to help peasant families back on their feet. In the Cabaret and Petit Goave, CRWRC provided food aid, tools, seeds, and goats to 1,200 families. This allowed these families to start planting their gardens and renew local agriculture after they lost most of their crops and small animals in the flooding.