Visiting Partners in Haiti: a photographic update
We are pleased to share this opportunity to follow along with Diane and Travis as they visit partners in Haiti in the photo journal below.
The photos are from a visit in April 2017 to see our partners at KOFAVIV and IJDH as well as learning more about the work of Fr. Joseph Philippe and his visionary work in Fondwa.
Video: "Enough"
Community Driven Solutions for Ending Gender-Based Violence
ENOUGH: by the women of Haiti.
Thank you to everyone who tuned in to the December 20 video premiere.
Enough: by the women of Haiti is a documentary highlighting the Security and Sensitization Project in the Place Petion Camp in Port au Prince Haiti. This video was produced by the Goldin Institute in partnership with the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti and KOFAVIV.
Ending Gender-Based Violence in Haiti
The Goldin Institute believes in the power of communities coming together to build their own solutions and determine their own futures. Key to our achieving our mission is ensuring that voices and perspectives that are often excluded from the discussion—often women—are heard and included.
From combatting gender-based violence in Haiti to improving microcredit in Bangladesh, women-led, community-based projects are integral to the Goldin Institute's work around the world.
Rape Accountability and Prevention
The Haiti Rape Accountability and Prevention Project (RAPP) is designed to respond to the epidemic of rapes against poor women and girls in Haiti in the wake of the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake. The program includes four closely integrated components: legal advocacy, healthcare, organizing, and public advocacy.
RAPP provides individual victims of sexual assault the legal services they need to obtain justice and compensation, while working with allies in Haiti and abroad to transform the social context that underlies the vulnerability of all poor Haitian women to assault. The Project also aims to deter future rape by punishing the perpetrators and forcing a more effective response by law enforcement and the justice system.
Bangladesh: Restoring Recipient Voices to Improve Microcredit
The current debate about the efficacy of microfinance is marked by the absence of those who have most at stake in the controversy: loan recipients. The Goldin Institute is working to lift up these voices, most often marginalized women, and restore their perspectives, insights and aspirations to the discussion.
Based on our innovative Community Based Oral Testimony methodology, where villagers in Bangladesh interviewed their neighbors about their experiences as loan recipients, we have helped capture and document these voices and are hard at work to ensure that they are heard in Bangladesh and around the world.
This community driven research raises many questions about the claims of gender empowerment made by microcredit supporters. In the words of Kohinoor Begum, Community Researcher and loan recipient herself:
[quote]Generally, credit is given in the name of the woman. The credit agencies do not grant credit if there is not a woman residing in the household. This is why male members of our homes or husbands sometimes force us to take credit. But, if we take credit, we have to hand it over to our husband or father-in-law who uses it in any way he wishes." [/quote]
Kohinoor went on to testify to the hidden perils that women like herself have experienced due to the misuse and exploitative practices taken by the lending institutions and the men of the communities in the rural villages where we conducted our research:
[quote]But, the NGO employees come to recover the money from us (women) and we have to face many insults and indignities ... It is the men who spend the money. But, payment of installment is sought from the women. We talk of women before all and talk of empowerment, but women are used within the traps and labyrinths of micro-credit. Women are deprived of their rights. Since women have begun taking micro-credit, oppression on her has multiplied. The evil practice of dowry became manifold. Because of micro-credit, social solidarity in villages is at stake." [/quote]
- Kohinoor Begum, Community Researcher
Cholera Epidemic in Haiti is Clearly a Human Rights Issue
The director of the Health and Human Rights Clinic at Indiana University's McKinney School of Law, makes a sharp criticism of both the U.S. and U.N policy in Haiti. In this recent piece at the Nation, attorney Fran Quigley also reminds us that the future of human rights is threatened by the U.N.'s "craven abdication of justice in Haiti" because in doing so, the U.N. has lost its moral right to speak out about other human rights or democracy issues in other parts of the world.
Quigley also makes it clear that although the earthquake of 2010 was a natural disaster, the cholera epidemic was completely man-made and the responses made in the aftermath have been shaped by long-held political biases against Haiti and its people. From the first Bush administration that blocked funds that would have updated the water system to the current Obama administration that has sided with the U.N. position that it be immune from legal accountability for bringing the epidemic to Haiti, Quigley runs through the list of how the response has exasperated the issue and further victimized an already vulnerable nation.
[quote]While the earthquake originated as a natural disaster, albeit one made worse by generations of international exploitation, the cholera epidemic was a fully human-made phenomenon. It demonstrates that the world's most powerful nation – the United States – and its most respected international organization – the United Nations – have no intention of treating the Haitian people as fully human beings, deserving of even the most basic of rights."[/quote]
- Fran Quigley, human rights attorney
Read the full piece at the Nation here. To find out how to become more involved, see this related issues page and our community-building efforts in Haiti here.
Above: People walk across an overpass as raw sewage flows beneath in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, September 2012.
Photo Credit: Rueters / Swoan Parker
Update from Haitian Global Associate
KOFAVIV - Malya Villard-Appolon Partnership Update
Although still trying to gain political asylum during her extended stay in Philadelphia, PA, our Global Associate Malya Villard remains active with the day-to-day operations of the organization (KOFAVIV) she co-founded to combat gender-based violence in Haiti.
Providing her leadership and advice via a remote office out her temporary home in Pennsylvania, Malya has adapted to the challenges of keeping in touch with her colleagues by using Skype conversations and other technology. It is through those means that Malya was able to update us recently on how she and her colleague Earamithe continue the mission of KOFAVIV.
Training is the Key
In her report to us, Malya made it clear that the ongoing identification and training of those men within the community who can be most trusted and depended on to provide a safe environment to the women in the camps, is one of the most important steps to their program being successful. Malya and her team on the ground in Haiti seek out the male agents who can be best trained to share the information and workings of the project with both men and women living in their neighborhoods and communities. They in effect are relied upon to become members of a 'teaching tree' and the most recent numbers indicated by Malya show that over 2,000 persons have been reached and have a first-hand familiarity with the practices of the project – in short, they know how to prevent violence against women and support victims through their recovery.
[quote]The reduction of the violence in whatever forms must be effective to have a society that may benefit of all its rights and dignity. More and more, the KOFAVIV mission is being enacted by both men and women who are the best tools to reeducate the society."[/quote]
- KOFAVIV co-founder Malya Villard-Apollon
Much can be done with little resources – but much more needs to be done ...
Throughout their report, Malya and Earamithe could not understate the importance of having the support and awareness of our own network at the Goldin Institute, in continuing to provide the security of the KOFAVIV offices and the security of women made most vulnerable to all forms of violence. There has been great progress made in reducing the violence and sexual assaults to women and young girls thanks to the project that these two women began in the aftermath of the 2010 Earthquake. However, a recent visit of a local camp (Delmas 33, or the Siló Camp, which is located north of Gerald Bataille Street) demonstrates the need for more work to be done and more support needed.
During their visit, it was discovered tható Camp was not drawing electricity from available sources. The local coordinator of the camp, appointed by the state, decided that it was best to remove the camp from the electrical grid to avoid potential electrical fires. While this in itself may be a needed preventative measure that could save lives by eliminating fires, the most immediate impact is that the camp is blanketed in complete darkness after sunset. As we have learned from Malya and KOFAVIV, the highest number of attacks happen in areas that are underlit. It makes sense, the less light, the more emboldened an attacker will be to commit a crime (it's this simple reality that made the flashlight provided at the camps, one of the first and most effective tools against sexual attackers). Malya and her team have purposed a street-light installation that could be done safely and at minimal cost, but providing the safety against violence that far surpasses the return on the investment.
[quote]We also visited a village called Grace Village, where there are 4 areas and each zone has a name; Peace, Love, Hope, Union ... it is a village well organized but also does not have any lighting."[/quote]
- From Malya's report
Malya's latest update also provided specific numbers showing the effectiveness of the KOFAVIV call center providing immediate help to victims. She also shared the agent scheduling that will continue to ensure there will be adequete coverage for those agents on-the-ground doing the very real work of protecting women against violence.
Find out how you can keep the mission of KOFAVIV going and click here to become more involved.
June 2015 Newsletter
Inspiration in the face of adversity is the common thread weaving throughout this month's newsletter as we share with you updates from around the globe including stories of heroic work by strong female leaders, breaking boundaries to strengthen societies and the dynamic possibilities of leveraging technology to promote grassroots partnerships for global change.
Watch a brief video overview of this newsletter:
Haiti
We recently caught up with Global Associate Malya Villard, although not in Haiti running KOFAVIV as you would normally expect to see her, but in Philadelphia. Due to death threats against her for her public role in fighting for justice for victims of sexual and gender-based violence, Malya has been forced to temporarily continue her important work from the US while she applies for asylum. We are excited to share this interview with Malya where she speaks passionately and courageously about her work.
A quick update of KOFAVIV's work over the past two months reveals that twenty-five trained male agents continue to work in high risk areas to prevent violence and provide support when women are attacked. In addition, the organization's call center is up and running. As a testament to its importance, within the 15 day period of April 15 to April 30 the center received 153 calls, two from victims of sexual violence, 104 calls for information and 47 calls for advice. Malya and the KOFAVIV staff will continue despite constant threats to ensure the safety of those in their community and a brighter future for Haiti.
Community Leadership Course
Inspiration and an update on the work in Haiti was only one piece of our conversation with Malya. We were pleased to continue the interview with Malya to hear her experience, wisdom and knowledge of strategic community organizing when resources are scarce and the work can be dangerous.
Through our interview, we took the lessons and insights Malya shared with us and are working to shape them into a case study for a new pilot Community Leadership course we are developing. Over the past several months the Goldin Institute has been working with the Danish Design School KaosPilots and a growing network of partners to develop a course designed to support global community driven social change.
In early May, the Goldin Institute hosted the KaosPilots team at our offices as they helped design and develop this virtual classroom, workshop and think tank. Structured as a series of modules to explore community-driven social change, a set of participants from around the globe will take a 12 week course together online. The term "together" is crucial as participants will explore topics such as leading adaptive change, asset based engagement and mobilizing community resources through a curriculum that values shared learning and the local knowledge of each course member. Participants take what is learned from the module, implement it in their own community and reconvene through the app to discuss their lessons learned and share best practices and principles. Look for an announcement on how to apply for this groundbreaking course in upcoming newsletters!
Philippines
Adversity takes the form of growing violent unrest in the Philippines. The Mindanao region where our global Associate Dr. Susana Anayatin is located has suffered from ongoing conflict for many years but the violence and displacement has increased greatly since January when Philippines Special Forces conducted a raid in Tukanalipao. Sadly, the aftermath of the raid has combined with clashes between local groups leading to a dramatic increase in violence as well as tens of thousands of displaced families. Further, tensions with the Government of the Philippines as well as disagreements within the negotiating partners are threatening to derail the ongoing peace process aimed at solving the crisis in Mindanao through a negotiated settlement granting greater autonomy and development to the region.
Despite the conflict, Susana and her team are moving forward and have brought the number of schools in the region with newly installed access to safe drinking water up to 98. As part of her continuing work to promote sustainability and ecological preservation, Susana led a series of trainings on Environmental Protection and Cultural Sensitivity to over 129 soldiers of the 61D Division Training School in the Philippine Army in honor of Earth Day celebrations.
Susana's partnership with the local communities throughout Mindanao has made possible a fragile but significant collaboration between the Philippine army and rebel groups which continues to bring clean water to schools and communities across the Mindanao region despite the increased tensions in the region. Both rebel and military leaders have declared that bringing life-saving clean water access to the schools in the region through this project is a way to "win the peace" rather than fight the war.
Kenya
Time and time again we have been exposed to the disturbing reality of youth participation in militant violence. Parents in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Somalia have called for assistance in addressing the growing threat of their children being recruited or forced to join Al-Shabaab and other armed militant groups.
The Goldin Institute and Arigatou International are expanding our partnership to address this problem of child recruitment. On January 14 and 15, twenty-four leaders from local grassroots initiatives gathered together for a workshop to discuss strategies for Countering Violent Extremism. The discussion was robust and varied, beginning with an identification of what makes communities vulnerable to violent extremism and ending with a commitment to support a youth-led peace ambassadors program. For more information, you can read the full report Countering Violent Extremism workshops here.
Watch our next newsletter for more information on the Community Leadership Course as well as some exciting additions to our growing team from Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar!
Until next time, remember that you can get the latest news as it happens by joining our online community at Facebook and Twitter.
GI Associate Malya Villard Reports from Philadelphia, PA
Recent interview provides inspiration and plans for future expansion of KOFAVIV
We recently caught up with Global Associate Malya Villard-Appolon, although not in Haiti running KOFAVIV as you would normally expect to see her, but in Philadelphia. Malya's work to reduce all forms of violence perpetrated against women and girls living in camps and communities has made great strides but also put her in a volatile situation. Being the most visible advocate for justice for women who have been attacked has lead to her being forced to seek refuge in Philadelphia until she can safely return to Haiti. Although she is separated from family and forced to temporarily continue her important work from overseas, Malya is as brave and resolved as ever.
We are excited to share this interview with Malya where she speaks passionately and courageously about her work. A quick update of KOFAVIV's work over the past two months reveals that twenty-five trained male agents now work in high risk areas to prevent violence and provide support when women are attacked. In addition, the organization's call center is up and running. As a testament to its importance, within the 15 day period of April 15 to April 30, the center received 153 calls, two from victims of sexual violence, 104 calls for information and 47 calls for advice.
Malya and the KOFAVIV staff will continue, despite constant threats, to ensure the safety of those in their community and a brighter future for Haiti. In the video segment below, Malya speaks about continuing the fight against violence towards women and her plans and hope for the future, despite the personal setbacks suffered.
To find out more on how you can join Malya in the fight to end gender-based violence in Haiti, please follow this link.
Advisory Board Member at U.N. Sponsored Event
Gender Equity Summit Held in New York
Earlier this month, our Advisory Board member Akif Irfan was in attendance at a United Nations event exploring the issue of gender equity amongst young people in developing countries.
Akif reports that a diverse group focused on gender equality was in attendance. These included individuals from UN-Habitat, academia and representatives of religious organizations. Because the gathering was an open-discussion format and the group size was small by design, Akif said the event provided an open dialogue for addressing issues of gender-based violence, especially against women by focusing on remedies involving the young male population.
Because of the Institute's project work on gender-based violence, especially in Haiti, Akif found natural parallels between our work and the general findings and themes presented in the UN-Habitat sponsored event. Namely, how do we fully capitalize on the role young men can play in actively preventing violence through training and education?
Also in attendance was our former Online Education coordinator, Michael Di Maria. Michael was part of the planning and coordination of this event in his current role with Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), which also co-sponsored the meetings with the Man Up Campaign based in New York City. LCIF and Man Up Campaign are working on a pilot project focused on reversing commonly held stereotypes of young girls and women, while emphasizing a positive and non-violent paragon for masculinity. For an overview of the Foundation's Lions Quest program, a social and emotional learning program that has seen activity in over 95 countries worldwide, click here.
As We Approach An Important Anniversary
Next week will mark the 5th Anniversary of the Haitian Earthquake. Although in and of itself this is a sad occasion to have to commemorate, today we were reminded of the many glimmers of hope to build upon, while speaking to our Global Associate from Port-au-Prince, Malya Villard-Appolon.
While reflecting on this anniversary, Malya discussed topics ranging from her own personal observations during the Earthquake, to the over 80,000 Haitians still without a home living in the same type of camps that has made her ongoing work so important.
We look forward to sharing more from this interview in the coming week as the official anniversary date approaches.
December 2014 Newsletter
As the weather in Chicago cools down, the work of the Goldin Institute around the world is heating up! Take a look at our latest work as we begin to look forward to the new year–and beyond.
Forgiveness and Reconciliation
ESPERE Project Expands International Reach
On November 21 and 22 the Perdon Y Cuidado (Forgiveness and Care) conference was held in Mexico City, Mexico. Global Associate Lissette Mateus Roa helped to coordinate this international conference exploring the ESPERE methodology first established in her home country of Colombia.
Key members of the Institute's team also took part including Denis Okello of Uganda, Sebastian Sosman and new Advisory Board member Akif Irfan (pictured above). Our long-time partner Father Leonel Narvaez of the Colombian peace-building organization Foundation for Reconciliation delivered a powerful keynote address emphasizing that dialogue without understanding has limited results.
[quote]Violence is the failure of dialogue."[/quote]
- Fr. Leonel Narvaez
Sebastian Sosman captured the spirit of Fr. Leonel's remarks and gives perspective in his personal reflections on how the ESPERE program is highly adaptable to other regions of the world.
[quote]"Mexico City 2014 was a courageous meeting that provided hope in achieving the intended aims of ESPERE and I believe we shall cause changes in the lives of the people who have been suffering from the 20 years insurgency by the LRA in Northern Uganda."[/quote]
- Denis Okello, Goldin Institute Uganda
For more photos and a complete summary of the Mexico City Event, please click here.
Good to the Last Drop
Clean Water Milestone in the Philippines
On November 10, our friends in the Philippines celebrated the significant accomplishment of completing access to clean water to 100% of the schools in the Kabuntalan municipality of the Maguindanao province!
Twelve water pumps were ceremoniously turned over as a result of the partnership between people of Maguindanao, the Goldin Institute, the Department of Education and the Philippine Army. In particular, we tip our hats to Dr. Susanna Anayatin and her team who understand that access to clean water has a ripple effect throughout the region.
One student offered his optimism created by a new well supplying clean water to an elementary school:
[quote]Despite the pitcher-water we had, we were always still searching for a source of water because it was not enough for our needs, now we have enough water for all of us."[/quote]
View the progress of the water project at our interactive map. We look forward to working with the Kabuntalan municipality as they serve as a model for other regions to working together to provide clean water to their residents.
Connecting the Dots in Kenya
Mapping the Social Capital of Kenya
The Goldin Institute's Executive Director Travis Rejman recently participated in a meeting convened by World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD) and the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs.
The Washington D.C. meeting gathered scholars, social-entrepreneurs and community leaders to discuss objectives, outputs and potential entry points for a planned research program in Kenya. Overall strategies were discussed to ensure that all of the resources working in Kenya could better coordinate and collaborate more effectively. A particular focus on strengthening the role of local leaders to help monitor transparency to break down the widespreadcorruption.
Because of his background and experience working on partnerships in Kenya and Uganda, Mr. Rejman was able to help explore the intersection of religious diversity and public policy challenges when working directly within the region.
Haiti in Chicago
Visiting the Haitian American Museum of Chicago
The Goldin Institute recently made a visit to the Haitian American Museum of Chicago (HAMOC) to coincide with their second anniversary. This was a significant milestone for Founder Elsie Hernandez, and also for the City of Chicago, as her plans for the museum dated back 12 years before finally being able to break ground in 2012.
The Museum is the first of its kind in the Midwest and was established to provide a space to promote Haitian history, culture and art. Given our work in Haiti, the HAMOC provides a natural partnership for outreach opportunities as it grows and evolves into a premier cultural institution in Chicago!
Next Newsletter
Watch our next newsletter for an exciting progress update from our partners around the world.
In the interim, get your Goldin Institute fix by jumping onto our Facebook page for the latest news as it happens and join the growing community dedicated to uplifting stories of grassroots partnerships around the world at the tumblr site GoGrassroots!
As always, if you have suggestions of individuals who may want to receive this e-newsletter or stories you think we should tell, contact us at news@goldininstitute.org.