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The Open Society Foundations is pledging $20 million to support Haitian civil society in addressing the political, economic, and security crisis currently gripping the country, the foundation announced in an April 17 press release.
The funding will target four key areas, including strengthening the capacity of organizations advocating for human and women’s rights, promoting sustainable agricultural practices to protect smallholder farmers and rural livelihoods, promoting arts and culture to advance dialogue, civic participation, and positive social change, and facilitating collaborations between universities and institutions to promote critical thinking, academic freedom, and intellectual inquiry.
The pledge comes as part of a new campaign called Pockets of Hope, created by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and other partners to catalyze philanthropic support for community-led education, health, economic security, and other initiatives in Haiti.
Haiti is currently facing its worst humanitarian crisis since the earthquake in 2010, with nearly half of its population facing food insecurity. Displacement, violence against critical institutions, including hospitals, schools, and banks, and ongoing political instability in Port-au-Prince have only added to the country’s challenges.
“Haiti is in urgent need of support, and philanthropic organizations need to step up and offer meaningful assistance,” said Alex Soros, chair of the Open Society Foundations. “By combining our resources with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, we can amplify our impact and provide vital support to Haitian civil society organizations working tirelessly to address these challenges.”
