By Brian Stevens | Donor Engagement Director
Thank You for Your Continued Solidarity with Families in Haiti
Thank you again for your generous and faithful support for Beyond Borders' Family Graduation Program on GlobalGiving. Your support right now is ensuring that families are healthier and more resilient in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic -- and is keeping them on track to graduate this fall.
The COVID-19 Emergency Response Activities That You Make Possible
Your solidarity and continued generosity are making it possible to both continue Family Graduation Programming with all 110 families -- with modifications to ensure social distancing -- and add special COVID-19 Emergency Response activities that include:
And here's what is in the works for families in the days to come, thanks to you:
Your support is ensuring that families are healthier and more resilient in the face of this pandemic. Thank you again!
The Progress That Families are Making Thanks to You
There’s also good news to share about the progress that families are making in the program -- thanks to the support of people like you.
A thorough evaluation of 108 out of the 110 families in the third cohort of the program -- conducted in April at the 11th month mark -- found significant advancement across a wide array of indicators used to track the progress of families.
Here’s a look at what families have achieved so far in some key areas of measurement:
Productive Asset Profits: Nearly half -- 48 percent -- of families have generated profits from their productive assets (i.e. - livestock, or the goods to start a small business). At the same time, 58 percent of families report purchasing new livestock or other assets.
Savings Accounts: Eighty-two percent of families have a regular practice of putting money into savings accounts.
Improved Diet: Nearly half -- 48 percent -- of families reported eating meat the week before the evaluation was conducted.
Social Inclusion: One-hundred percent reported making at least one new friend during their participation in the program. Twenty-four percent reported making more than one new friend.
Plans for the Future: Eighty-five percent of participants demonstrated that they have developed a plan for their future, including goals, targets, and timelines.
Support from Village Committees: Forty-seven percent of families sought advice from Village Committees -- groups of local residents who volunteer to provide community-based solidarity and support for participants. Village Committees were organized and trained by project staff as part of the Family Graduation Program. The intention is that these local volunteers will continue to provide ongoing moral support and advice to heads of household long after they’ve graduated from the 18-month program.
Literacy: Eighty-seven percent of heads-of-households demonstrated the ability to write their names.
Sleep: Ninety-four percent of families sleep in a bed rather than on the floor.
Clothing: Ninety-two percent of families have good clothing to wear when they go out.
Hygiene: Eighty-six percent of heads-of-household report maintaining hygiene practices for themselves and their families.
The Progress Families Have Made Since Joining the Program
Families were also assessed on the progress they’ve made in a variety of categories since joining the Family Graduation Program in April 2019. There’s still more work to be done, but there are also significant advancements to share:
Food Security
Percentage of participating families demonstrating improved food security:
April 2019: 0%
April 2020: 29%
Percentage of participating families who eat at least one cooked meal per day and report not experiencing hunger:
April 2019: 61%
April 2020: 95%
Food Production
Percentage of participants who raise livestock:
April 2019: 41%
April 2020: 100%
Caring for Self and Family
Percentage of participants who have the capacity to care for themselves and family:
April 2019: 77%
April 2020: 94%
Future Plan
The participant has a future plan in 3 of 7 goal areas:
April 2019: 3.6%
April 2020: 30%
Savings
The participant has savings at either a formal institution or a Village Savings and Loan:
April 2019: 44%
April 2020: 98%
Access to Clean Water
Irrespective of the primary water source, water is treated before consumption:
April 2019: 36%
April 2020: 93%
School Attendance
All children ages 6-17 attend school regularly (comparison data taken before the close of school for COVID-19):
April 2019: 72%
April 2020: 82%
Housing
Percentage of participants whose families meet criteria for safe, dignified housing:
April 2019: 3.6%
April 2020: 13%
You are Making Economic Opportunity Possible
Thank you for making these economic opportunities possible. Your support is empowering families to lift themselves out of extreme poverty AND ensure that they can provide for themselves long after they graduate from the 18-month program.
From life coaches who help families to identify and track specific, achievable economic goals like starting a small business or creating their own savings account, to community-based savings and loans that promote solidarity among neighbors and provide each family with a greater measure of economic security in times of crisis or the funds to expand a small business -- you are creating real economic opportunities for families through your support.
The economic success and independence that families are achieving - thanks to your generous support - is a huge boost to their self-confidence, and will sustain them when they face future challenges and uncertainties.
Thank You Again
Your solidarity with these families means more than we can say. We are grateful for your generosity, your care, and your concern. If you have any questions about what you read in this report, please feel free to contact Brian Stevens, Beyond Borders’ Donor Engagement Director, at b.stevens@beyondborders.net or at (305) 450-2561.
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By Brian Stevens | Donor Engagement Director
By Brian Stevens | Donor Engagement Director
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