The Haiti Compact

The primary goal of the Haiti Compact is suitably ambitious: to engage US campuses in effective, responsible, and sustainable service work in and for post-earthquake Haiti through 2015, ensuring consistent and mutually beneficial support. The Compact currently consists of 5 colleges and universities: American University, University of Maryland-College Park, Loyola Marymount University, Indiana University and the College of William and Mary. The Compact members commit to work with and for the Haitians toward the vision of a strong, dignified, and peaceful Haiti – with citizens empowered by sustained education, jobs, and voice. We call upon all institutions of Higher Education in the United States to make a commitment toward aiding Haiti. The Compact believes that real advocacy and change come from deepened relationships and kinship between people and organizations, and that there is much that North Americans can learn from Haitians as we witness their resilience, learn their skills, and realize how to become more responsible consumers of the world’s resources.

Over the next five years, the Compact plans to:

1. Promote Higher Ed involvement in Haiti, through on-campus education and advocacy, and where appropriate, the development of multi-year Alternative Breaks to Haiti;
2. Serve as an information and training resource for policy, logistics, safety, pre and post trip reflections and action and advocacy for student involvement and trips to Haiti;
3. Provide the framework and/or the program to be conducted by each cohort of students with each participating NGO by coordinating and streamline the process for NGO partners and AB coordinators to facilitate connections and consistency of efforts;
4. Expand outreach to campuses across the US through at least 2015;
5. Regularly provide updated reports, and share current information on best practices, partnerships and calls to action through haiticompact.org; and
6. Modify each program and trip to continually meet the needs of Haitians as the Compact develops.

Shoshanna Sumka, the director of American University's Center for Community Engagement and Service was one of the founding members of the Haiti Compact. She oversees Alternative Breaks and other international community-based learning programs. Shoshanna is our staff advisor for our trip this Spring. She has been to Haiti twice before, one of her previous trips was the first AU Alternative Break to Haiti in Spring 2011.

Spring 2011 AU Alternative Break - Haiti group