The Context
Haiti’s economic and social development continues to be hampered by a general condition of political instability, governance issues, and vulnerability. Haiti is not only one of the poorest countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region but one of the poorest countries in the world, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of $1,149.50 and a Human Development Index ranking of 170 out of 189 countries, in 2020. Land resources are limited, and traditional farming methods do not produce the needed food to avoid widespread hunger. Income disparities are among the highest in the Americas, where half of the national income goes to the wealthiest 10% of the population.
ST Foundation’s Presence
The ST Foundation launched the DU Program in 2015, intending to contribute to the lack of infrastructure in the local education system. For this reason, it signed the agreement with VIS and a local Salesian school in Port au Prince, where the first DU Lab was located.
The DU Lab operated steadily through the years till Covid 19 outbreak which perturbated the regular cascading of the courses. They gradually resumed in 2021, training a total of 2,987 beneficiaries since its inception.
The collaboration ended in December 2021, having reached all the possible students of the area where the lab was located.
