The need
People in Haiti are repeatedly exposed to violence, natural disasters, bereavement and forced displacement. This accumulation of hardship generates significant psychological distress, which particularly affects children, displaced people and survivors of violence. Yet mental health and psychosocial support services remain very limited in the country, and the stigma attached to psychological suffering often deters people from seeking help.
Our approach
HASDI defines and steers its programmes from France; local Haitian partner organisations carry out implementation. We follow the layered approach recommended by the IASC: strengthening community and family supports first, spreading psychological first aid, and referring those who need it to existing specialised services. We integrate the psychosocial dimension across our other areas of work — education, health, protection — and apply the do-no-harm principle rigorously, respecting Haitian cultural and community resources.
How we intervene
Partnership agreements specify the activities supported, the training and supervision of partner teams, confidentiality rules and referral pathways. Monitoring combines remote management with field visits when the context allows, with constant attention to the quality of care and to the wellbeing of the frontline workers themselves.
The standards we apply
Our work is guided by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, by the Sphere Handbook and by the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS).
Stand with us
HASDI is building its first programmes with its Haitian partners. Your support makes this work possible.