IOM’s “Assistance to repatriated migrants in Haiti” program is dedicated to helping their reintegration into their communities upon their return to Haiti, thanks to the funding of USAID.  

This program not only provides direct support to individuals but also implements community-level initiatives to promote local development and strengthen social cohesion. IOM’s approach focuses on delivering tangible results, such as rehabilitated schools, water points, and public spaces, while also aiming to restore and enhance communication between communities and State services.   

Many migrants returning to Haiti are from Delmas, a municipality that faces many challenges in the current security situation. However, before violence hit the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince, Delmas was also an area characterized by a strong community and functioning local organizations and institutions. This makes it today possible to support State’s efforts to better serve the population and strengthen the social fabric, and allows projects to have a long-term impact.  

The rehabilitation of Delmas 33’s public space is one of many examples of those efforts.

Renald Joseph is a resident of Delmas since many years. According to him, the development of this public square demonstrates the synergy between community associations, municipal authorities and international donors, showing how this collaboration can make a difference in people’s lives.  

He shares with us his happiness about this change:  

“Before the rehabilitation of this space, it was an abandoned bush filled with piled-up garbage, posing a risk to both the health of the population and the environment.  

The Municipality had made an effort to transform this place into a public space. However, it lacked the necessary equipment for children to play. Additionally, there was no maintenance, no lighting, almost nothing. It was lifeless. 

Faced with constant security challenges, the youth in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area find themselves isolated. They cannot go out to entertain themselves in other areas, they cannot explore. The need for recreational spaces close to their homes is more important than ever, it’s a chance for them to spread their wings. In this situation, the community members, who really needed a place for reflection, entertainment and rest, gathered to propose a development project to the Municipality."

"IOM, with funding from USAID, enabled the Delmas Municipality to respond positively to our request. It was good news for the residents to see that the authorities were taking their wishes into account and leading the way.  

This advancement brought joy to our hearts. The square is located at the crossroads of different neighborhoods that benefit from it.
 

Every morning, young people come to the square to play football, channeling their physical energies into communal sports activities. This helps prevent them from falling into violence. Children, who are usually confined within the four walls of their homes, also find a recreational space to unwind from the stressful lifestyle facing young people in Haiti. Parents are relieved to see them able to play safely." 

What pleases me the most is to see that evening activities have resumed. Thanks to the lighting installed as part of this project, even late at night, people enjoy a lively and joyful atmosphere. Vendors, mainly women, set up their small businesses to achieve financial stability and take care of their children. This infrastructure rehabilitation has restored a sense of life for many people.  

This type of project, in my opinion and that of many others, strengthens the population's trust in the authorities and international partners.   

In addition to vital humanitarian aid, these structural transformation initiatives are to be commended. No one knows how many children would have been destined for juvenile delinquency without this public square. It is one of the ways to contribute to building peace and social harmony in communities in Haiti.

I hope that this relationship between the local population, the authorities and international institutions will grow and strengthen in the interest of all. Thank you very much, I leave with a complete sense of satisfaction. 

The rehabilitation of the Delmas 33 public square with playgrounds for children brings many benefits to the greater community of Delmas. The Delmas Municipality has planned the rehabilitation of the public square with the community and created a monitoring committee to ensure the smooth running of the project”.  

 Approximately 350 children go to this place per week.  

Playing in the new park makes me so happy! Before, we had nowhere to go, but now we have place to enjoy the best part of my day with my friends! said Marc-Adley. 

This initiative is a key component of IOM’s community stabilization portfolio. By enhancing social services and reinforcing social cohesion at the local level, these projects facilitate the successful reintegration of returning migrants, mitigate instability, and support community recovery. Similar rehabilitation efforts in Port-au-Prince, Les Cayes, and Cap-Haitien have positively impacted a total of 114,756 people. Currently, seven additional infrastructure rehabilitation projects are in progress, with eleven more planned for the future.  

Text and photos by Oliver Ambroise 

Communication Assistant IOM Haiti 

oambroise@iom.int