Haiti NGO Sector

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) play a key role in economic, political and everyday life in Haiti. The Library of Congress reports that, 'some analysts went so far as to call the development community in Haiti a shadow government, because overseas funding contributed as much as seventy percent of spending on economic and social development and forty percent of the national budget' (Library of Congress). This article explores the history and landscape of NGOs in Haiti.

The Republic of Haiti seceded from France in the first and only successful slave rebellion in the world in 1804. Declaring itself independent of colonial power, Haiti became the earliest self-ruling black republic in history. Notwithstanding its revolutionary beginnings, Haiti has seen more than its fair share of instability and dictatorship. Haiti is presently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and is the most corrupt nation in the world according to Transparency International. Racial divides and discrimination – a remnant of colonialism and occupation – have also contributed to social instability and economic inequality. Race still, in large part, determines social and economic power. 'One of the striking facts about the social and political history of Haiti from independence in 1804 to the present is the deep gulf separating the largely mulatto elite groups from the predominantly black masses' (Nicholls 1974). According to BBC News' country profile of Haiti, almost half of the nation's wealth rests with one percent of the francophone mulatto class (BBC News 2007). The Haitian Diaspora includes the United States, in particular, Boston, Miami and New York, where those of Haitian descent maintain links to their mother country. According to the World Bank, approximately one-fifth of Haiti's GDP in 2002 came from private transfers, primarily from the expatriate community (World Bank 2004). Foreign aid and nonprofits have become key players in the country’s economic and social development. 'Although the major multilateral and bilateral development agencies have provided the bulk of foreign funding, hundreds of nongovernmental organizations have also played a prominent role in development assistance,' (Chapin Metz 2001).

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