This is the third part in our Repairing the World, Step-by-Step series, unpacking how AJWS makes change around the globe. If you’re just joining us now, catch up on part 1 and part 2 here!
Today we’re talking dollars and cents: Where does your money go when you give to AJWS?
Let’s zoom in on Haiti. You’ve probably heard about the devastating confluence of natural disasters, government collapse and unchecked gang violence that’s gripped the country in recent years. A new transitional government is now trying to restore rule of law, rebuild the institutions needed for an election, and forge some semblance of democracy. But the gangs are still wielding immense power, kidnapping and killing civilians with impunity. Most people are scared to leave their homes and are left without food and basic supplies.
When you give to AJWS, you help activists on the front lines of this crisis. We support a coalition of Haitian civil society organizations pushing for a path forward to return safety and justice to their country. One of our grantees central to this work is RNDDH (The National Network for the Defense of Human Rights) — the premier human rights monitoring organization in Haiti.
A crisis as complex as what we’re seeing in Haiti requires a multi-faceted response. We give RNDDH general operating support, so they can use funds where they’re needed most:
- Exposing atrocities and aiding survivors. From the massacre of civilians by gangs, to government abuses, to the deadly aftermath of repeated natural disasters, RNDDH documents abuses and helps people recover.
- Advocating for a Haitian-led solution. RNDDH pressed to establish a credible transitional government and continues to push the new interim leaders to represent the interests of the people. And AJWS boosts their efforts from the U.S.: We brought RNDDH’s Director, Pierre Esperance, to D.C. to get the U.S. government on board.
- Strengthening their movement. AJWS staff in Haiti help RNDDH collaborate with other local grantees in the movement, and we amplify their message by connecting them to global media.
- Keeping activists safe. Pierre and his colleagues have faced threats and even gunfire from gangs, politicians and other criminals who want them silenced. They’ve upped their security thanks to AJWS’s grant.
Humanitarian aid. Grassrooted solutions. Multi-faceted, flexible support. Your gift to AJWS responds to the crisis in Haiti from every angle.
Want to help? Read Pierre’s recent op-eds in The New York Times and Foreign Affairs to understand what’s at stake and please make a gift today to support changemakers like him around the world.