PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – HAITI is the recipient of a US$8M grant from the International Development Association.

According to Caribbean 360, the funds would be used to provide basic infrastructure and social services to disadvantaged rural communities.

Through the initiative, 32 community-based organisations will propose, select, implement and maintain projects geared towards improving the access of these rural communities to basic social and economic infrastructure and income-generating activities.

World Bank Director for the Caribbean Yvonne Tsikata said, “This project was designed to help strengthen local constituency organisations and provide a means through which citizens can determine their most pressing investment needs and access funds to meet them.

“In addition, community-driven development projects promote local empowerment and greater transparency in the allocation of resources.”

Meanwhile, in a partnership between the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Haitian government, with the support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Haitian Resource Centre of Adapted Materials for Persons with Disability was officially opened on Monday (Jan. 2).

OAS Assistant Secretary-General Albert Ramdin, US Ambassador to Haiti Janet Sanderson and Haitian Secretary of State Michel Peán, as well as members of the diplomatic corps, the media and mentally and physically challenged persons were present for the ceremony.

Ramdin congratulated the government of Haiti for this “landmark accomplishment” and reinforced his organisation’s support for efforts to promote the rights of disabled individuals, while Sanderson expressed satisfaction at the fruits of USAID’s partnership with the OAS.