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Justice, Peace and Sustainability Weekly Announcement

“When you live in extreme poverty, you are a person who has fallen into a black hole. If you don’t find someone to take your hand and help you out of this hole, that is where you will stay.”

-Saincia Eric Tranquille, Fonkoze graduate 


In Haiti, the situation is dire and chaotic. The embattled Prime Minister of Haiti, Ariel Henry, has announced his intention to resign. This decision comes after weeks of mounting chaos in the country. Nearly 13,000 people were killed, injured and kidnapped by criminal groups between January 2022 and early March 2024. Thousands of women and children have been victims of sexual violence and over 362,000 people have been internally displaced. The rates of food insecurity in Haiti are among the worst in the world. Many children are out of school, and child use and recruitment by criminal groups are on the rise. Gangs have been attacking government structures and social order is on the brink of collapse.

Haitian human rights and civil society groups have called for Haiti’s international partners, especially the United States, to stop propping up Henry’s government (read more here). They have pressed other governments to support the formation of a transitional government led by technocrats untainted by allegations of involvement in corruption or support for abusive criminal groups who would also promise not to participate in future elections. The transitional authorities could then work to create an environment that will allow for the organization of free, fair and credible elections within a clearly defined timetable, Haitian civil society groups have said.

Faith in Action International and the People’s Organization for the Development of Haiti released a new document describing how grassroots organizing in Haiti, a powerful Haitian diaspora voice, and changes to U.S. Haiti policy can combine to make progress possible. Read “Three Critical Ingredients for a Way Forward in Haiti” here.

In December 2023, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling on the administration to address the rising state of insecurity and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Haiti. In their letter, the Senators expressed grave concern about Haiti’s lack of progress in establishing a legitimate, democratically elected government supported by the Haitian Constitution. Senators John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) are also co-signers. Read the letter here.



Fonkoze (The Foundation) was created 28 years ago to bring financial inclusion and development services to Haiti’s poor, providing them with a viable way to lift themselves out of poverty. Today, it is a family of three organizations—Fonkoze Financial Services (SFF), Fonkoze Foundation and Fonkoze USA—that work together to empower Haitians, primarily women, to lift their families out of poverty. To support Fonkoze, click here


 The IHM Justice, Peace, and Sustainability Office’s Web materials may be useful for your committee work, presentations, mission units, ministry, and other educational purposes. Be sure to check out our regularly updated online resources HERE