Our Work
International Action is a non-profit organization with one goal: to overcome the water problems in Haiti to create a healthy population. Our organization does more than provide clean water. We focus health and empowerment through community-based, sustainable, and affordable solutions.
Our team in Haiti provides not only equipment, installation, and maintenance, but also training, educational materials, and long-term guidance and support. We work with the local population and provide tools they can use to provide a healthier life for their children and themselves.
Campaign for Clean Water
Location: Primarily in Port-au-Prince, Artibonite, Arcahaie, Petit-Goâve, and Mirebalais.
Impact: This program has helped over 900,000 Haitians gain access to clean, safe water through community-led and -based chlorination projects.
Our flagship program, the Campaign for Clean Water is our initiative to provide chlorinators, water tanks, chlorine, and water delivery to communities in need. It helps people who are afflicted with dehydration and diarrhea to safely recover, prevents waterborne disease from spreading, and is often a first step for community rebuilding and improvement. The Campaign for Clean Water has become even more important to the communities we serve since the earthquake of 2010. We are expanding it everyday. Learn more about our Campaign for Clean Water projects in Haiti.
The Chlorine Distribution System (CDS) Project
Location: Port-au-Prince
In 2015, International Action will embark on a significant new chapter to build sustainability of our clean water systems through access to a permanent supply of chlorine for the communities we serve. Our major focus for the year will be the launch of our pioneering Chlorine Distribution System (CDS) and the opening of the first Chlorine Distribution Center in Port-au-Prince. Learn more about our pioneering Chlorine Distribution System Project
De-Worming Haiti Campaign
Location: Port-au-Prince, Mirebalais, and Artibonite.
Impact: In 2009-13, we distributed 1.5 million albendazole pills to thousands of children, which quickly improved their health and allowed them to return to school.
Intestinal worms can take away up to 20% of a child’s daily nutritional intake and cause severe diarrhea, which keeps children out of school. With only three pills, a child is provided a full year of intestinal worms treatment and prevention. We have recently shipped another 500,000 albendazole pills to Haiti to protect still more children and adults. Learn more about our De-Worming Haiti Campaign.
Vitamin Donation Program
Location: Port-au-Prince and Leogane.
Impact: To date, International Action has provided 22,000 Haitian children and 350 pregnant mothers with Vitamin A and multivitamin tablets, via partner organizations.
One in five are chronically malnourished in Haiti, and this leads to vitamin A deficiency which causes a weakened immune system and blindness. Just one dose of vitamin A supplement provides a child with enough for 6 months, strengthening their immune system against infectious diseases like malaria and enabling them to attend school. We also donate prenatal vitamins to pregnant mothers, who may struggle to obtain the extra reserves of nutrients necessary for a healthy baby in a country where one third are food insecure. Learn more about our Vitamin Donation Program.
Past Projects:
Clean Water in Schools
Location: Port-au-Prince, expanding to Jacmel.
Impact: The Clean Water in Schools program has helped 43,511 children at 161 schools gain access to clean water, as well as to hygiene and clean water education.
We created the project in October of 2010, because even after we began chlorinating community tanks, children were still becoming sick. The problem was that many schools were not able to supply their students with clean water to drink. We install 150-gallon water tanks and chlorinators in schools to eliminate this problem. Learn more about our Clean Water in Schools projects.
Cholera Prevention Consortium
Location: Primarily in the Artibonite Region and Port-au-Prince.
Impact: International Action has already installed 15 chlorinators outside of Port-au-Prince – protecting 175,000 Haitians from cholera and other waterborne diseases.
We have created a consortium of over 20 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local groups to combat the cholera pandemic. We have donated enough chlorine through this group to provide clean water for over 1.5 million Haitians. Learn more about our Cholera Prevention Consortium and our fight to end cholera in Haiti.
Books for Schools
Location: Cité Soleil and Port-au-Prince.
Impact: To date, we have shipped 3,000 books to schools throughout Port-au-Prince.
After hearing the stories of many of the teachers – and witnessing first-hand the lack of books in Haitian public schools – we decided to supply the schools we provide water to in Port-au-Prince with children’s books written in Creole. We understand that having a dependable person to administer and assure the effective use of the materials is just as important as possessing the books themselves. In collaboration with Educa Vision, we are creating a lesson plan and delivering seminars to the teachers of 20 Cité Soleil schools on how to best use these books. Learn more about our Books for Schools initiative.
What to know more?
Read Evaluation of International Action Water Chlorinators in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (PDF, 1.3MB) to learn more about the effectiveness of International Action’s solutions.
Need Help?
If you or communities you work with need help, find out what International Action can do for you.