As Port-au-Prince continues to face significant security challenges, southern Haiti is emerging as a new center of development. With a new international airport under construction and growing private-sector investment, the region is positioning itself for growth. Alongside these economic developments, investments in the cultural and creative sectors are helping strengthen community life and support local talent.

In Haiti, rural women contribute every day to agricultural production, food security, and the economy of their communities. But to expand their activities and strengthen their economic independence, they need resources and support.

Over the past decade, life in Port-au-Prince has changed dramatically. Cultural centers, community spaces and libraries that once welcomed many young people have been destroyed or are become inaccessible due to the security crisis in the country. Yet, amid these challenges, some spaces continue to thrive, offering young Haitians opportunities to learn, connect and shape their future.

The Joint Leadership Youth Initiative (JOLYI) is a collaborative effort among FOKAL’s Youth Initiative Program, Basketball to Uplift the Youth (BAL), and the National Human Rights Organization, providing educational, civic, and leadership opportunities for young people. Operating in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, Cité-Soleil, Croix-des-Bouquets, and Cap-Haïtien, the initiative focuses on youth in violent neighborhoods, schools, and juvenile detention centers.

The Joint Leadership Youth Initiative (JOLYI) is a collaborative effort among FOKAL’s Youth Initiative Program, Basketball to Uplift the Youth (BAL), and the National Human Rights Organization, providing educational, civic, and leadership opportunities for young people. Operating in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, Cité-Soleil, Croix-des-Bouquets, and Cap-Haïtien, the initiative focuses on youth in violent neighborhoods, schools, and juvenile detention centers.