The Multi-Year Assistance Program (MYAP) in Haiti, implemented by ACDI/VOCA, aimed to increase resiliency against future food insecurity through the protection and enhancement of livelihoods and the development of community capacities. The program was awarded a five-year contract by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in February 2008, with a focus on the Southeast Department of Haiti. However, ACDI/VOCA began preparations in 2007, registering as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Haiti and recruiting staff.
Initial project activities were devoted to establishing offices in Port-au-Prince and Jacmel, hiring key staff, and establishing partner sub-recipient agreements. ACDI/VOCA’s partners, Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and Bureau de Nutrition et Développement (BND), focused on planning and preparing the Mother-Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) component. The program collaborated closely with existing Title II Cooperating Sponsors, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and World Vision, for monetization sales, MCHN ration design, and a joint baseline study.
In June 2008, ACDI/VOCA conducted a quick participatory appraisal in La Vallée and Bainet to establish a baseline for the 2009 interventions. The study identified 165 localities for eventual intervention and specific activities that could be developed under the life of the project. ACDI/VOCA started agricultural activities in three communes (La Vallée, Bainet, and Cotes de Fer) and MCHN efforts in Cotes de Fer. Following the devastation of the hurricane season, ACDI/VOCA worked with the United Nations Office Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) to provide humanitarian assistance to affected areas in these communes and the city of Jacmel.
Although the project activities started late in FY 2008, ACDI/VOCA was able to achieve some results. The program exceeded its FY 2008 targets, reaching 3,650 beneficiaries in the last quarter of FY 2008, benefiting 924 rural households. The Indicator Performance Tracking Table (IPTT) and the Mission’s Performance Management Plan (PMP) reported the program’s achievements. ACDI/VOCA also responded to the hurricane-affected areas by distributing food to support households severely affected in the Southeast department.
The program’s response strategy in the case of a natural disaster was to reorient its interventions to respond to changing food security conditions. In early September 2008, ACDI/VOCA requested USAID approval to utilize 15 metric tons of commodity as a response to the hurricane-affected areas. The distribution was organized in coordination with local authorities, the Mayor of La Vallée, the Communal Section Administrative Council (CASEC), and the Département de Protection Civile (DPC). Most households (80%) were reached through the emergency food distribution, while the remaining households (20%) received support in agricultural activities.
The program’s achievements in FY 2008 were significant, with a 152% increase in the number of targeted direct beneficiaries and a 185% increase in the number of rural households benefiting directly from USG assistance. The program’s response to the hurricane-affected areas demonstrated its ability to adapt to changing food security conditions and provide humanitarian assistance to affected communities.