Green Pearls

Red Cross Netherlands, in addition to its vital emergency relief efforts, is committed to proactively reducing the adverse effects of natural hazards on vulnerable communities. With generous support from organizations like the COmON Foundation, their focus extends to empowering communities to mitigate the impact of natural disasters and enhance their resilience. Through initiatives like the Princess Margriet Fund, they leverage international partnerships with sister National Red Cross and Red Crescent societies and other humanitarian organizations to implement sustainable solutions in disaster-prone regions.

In Haiti the Red Cross is working on a project named Green Pearls to eventually restore nine severely degraded areas in Haiti, making the country resilient for future natural disasters.

Once called the Green Pearl of the Caribbean, Haiti was renowned for its great natural wealth and lush tropical forests. Today, that nickname seems mostly a distant memory. Only 2% of the original forest remains and the country is regularly affected by natural disasters.

Hurricanes, floods, droughts and earthquakes all occur in Haiti. In addition to this, it is one of the poorest countries in the world. This deadly combination affects Haitians over and over again. People hardly have enough time to rebuild their houses or sow their crops before the next disaster strikes.

The country is stuck in a vicious cycle of poverty and vulnerability. Deforestation and overgrazing result in less and less rainwater being absorbed by the soil, leading to more frequent flooding and landslides. In periods of drought, this arid soil is not able to support the crops which the population depends on for survival.

Approach

With abundant land for forestry and agriculture, plentiful rainfall, and a youthful population aspiring for a brighter tomorrow, Haiti is ripe with potential.

The aim is to empower communities in shaping this vision through the cultivation of "green pearls": resilient and thriving communities sustained by a harmonious balance of human necessities, natural assets, and economic advancement.

Commencing in La Vallée-de-Jacmel in 2019 and expanding to Corail in 2022, these initial pearls serve as both the cornerstone and inspiration for the thirty pearls to be established within the next two decades.

At the core of the strategy lies landscape restoration. Collaborating closely with local communities and experts, priorities include initiatives such as reforesting eroded mountainsides, implementing small-scale dams for rainwater regulation, and identifying novel income streams. Furthermore, the focus extends to prioritizing the training of disaster response teams and refining contingency plans to bolster community resilience.

These efforts have already yielded positive results. In Côtes-de-Fer, similar undertakings shielded vulnerable areas during Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and enhanced agricultural yields through improved rainwater management. These successes have catalyzed community transformation, prompting the return of residents who had previously migrated to urban centers.