BHF serves as a platform to rally the Haitian Diaspora and friends of Haiti. BHF works with prominent professionals in Haiti and the Diaspora to build a strong network of people and institutions capable of responding to the existing challenges and opportunities. With the help of its partners, BHF advocates for Haitians and the Caribbean community by giving them a voice, make them aware of the change and how that change can happen, help to create positive change in society towards greater social justice and equality by influencing people with power and changing how they think and act. We create a support in the community and provide access to various community resources including social services, human resources, access to healthcare and education, etc.

Diasporas have the potential to make many contributions. Most recognized among these are the remittances that are sent back to the homeland which is estimated at over 2 billion dollars per year. To put it in context, between 1991 and 2013, Haiti GDP averaged at $4.42 billion per year. Essentially, remittances represent almost half the annual GDP.

For Haiti, the Haitian Diaspora is the chicken that lays the golden eggs. It is, therefore, essential that the Diaspora is supported. Ultimately, this support translates into a more prosperous Haiti and a stronger and more cohesive Haitian community.

BHF partners with organizations to provide services and referrals in the following areas:

• Immigration counseling and citizenship classes
• Interpreting & translation services
• English tutoring and education services
• Domestic Violence
• Employment and job search
• Access to care, health education and outreach
• Youth leadership and mentoring
• Social services

BHF understands the challenges that immigrants face in a new country. A new environment brings many challenges that can be very difficult to overcome. To this end, we make our platform the one stop shop to access the listed resources. BHF and its partners look forward to serving you.

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​EDUCATION SERVICES & CULTURAL AWARENESS

​Despite its historical significance to the western hemisphere, many are unaware of Haiti’s rich history. Haiti became the world’s first black-led republic and the first independent nation in Latin America and the Caribbean when it threw off French colonial control and slavery in a series of struggles in the early 19th century. Since then, however, its prominence has been overshadowed by entrenched poverty and standing as the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

BHF promotes Haitian culture through its partnership with the Columbia Association, the Howard County Library System, its signature annual event Celebrate Haitian Culture (CHC), to name a few. The CHC annual event and other culture fests provides event participants the opportunity to experience the sight, sound and taste of Haitian culture through Taste of Haiti, Art Exhibit, book signing events and performances of dance and poetry.

​ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE & EDUCATION OUTREACH FOR HAITIAN DIASPORA & FOREIGN BORN

Since the implementation of the Affordable Care, BHF has been working with ethnic minorities and other groups affected by disparity. In partnership with the Ethnic Minority Roundtable, the Governor’s Commission on Caribbean Affairs, the Healthy Howard’s Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC), Doors to Healthcare and the MD Health Benefit Exchange to provide educational outreach and access to individuals and families. We partner with civil society and faith-based organizations through seminar and workshop for the benefit of the target population.

Following the devastating 2010 earthquake, BHF undertook the initiative to build a clinic in Camp-Coq, a town in Northern Haiti. After much struggle to get the needed funding to assist this community, we were able to get the building completed and enter into an agreement with Containers to Clinic (C2C) to get the clinic operational. The clinic was inaugurated on August 26, 2013 and is now providing service to a community of over 20,000 people. As an ongoing project, we are currently working to install rain water collection systems, communal composting latrines and a garbage collection system to keep the local river free from debris and diseases. Education remains a priority as we work with local organizations to improve the communities we serve.

Bob Anantua & Congressman E. Cummings Supporting Outreach Effort at Howard Community College

​PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT

​Haiti has long been very dependent on its Diaspora and friends to help support its degraded infrastructure. Due to poverty and political instability, Haiti has lost much of its intellectual resources since 1957. There is a tremendous need for professional infrastructural support. Through GLP, The Build Haiti Foundation recruits professionals interested in supporting Haiti’s infrastructure and in helping to mentor the students participating in the BHF – Global Leadership Program. The BHF goal is to educate youth to the challenges facing the Haitian people, provide them with leadership training and support them in realizing their vision for a better Haiti.

RESOURCE REFERRAL

BHF works with its partners and volunteers to empower the Haitian Diaspora and other foreign-born individuals, particularly the Caribbean and African communities by helping them to access community resources such as: human resource services, health education and access to care, youth leadership and mentoring, English tutoring, information, referrals, and other assistance programs.