Mission, Vision, and Values

Roots of Development works to shift the aid system in Haiti toward a locally led model.

The Problem

The current aid system concentrates power and resources in external institutions, weakening local leadership, social cohesion, and long-term resilience in Haiti.

Every year, billions of dollars in foreign aid are directed toward countries like Haiti, with the goal of responding to crises and improving quality of life.

The problem is that the aid system, in Haiti and around the world, remains dominated by foreign actors, despite repeated global commitments to “localization."

This donor-driven, INGO-heavy model is often costly, resistant to localization, and harmful to a country’s self-determination.

This system often:

Bypasses local leadership, systems, and governance structures.

Is more expensive and less efficient.

Creates competition and weakens social cohesion.

Creates aid dependency by prioritizing quick fixes over long-term change.

OUR SOLUTION

a Locally led system that outperforms conventional international aid systems.

Research shows that, when communities lead their own development:

They respond faster in crises.

They use resources more efficiently.

They strengthen local institutions.

They create more sustainable change.

Our vision is for a world where communities in haiti and around the world get the support and solidarity they need to build their own more resilient, peaceful, and prosperous futures.

We Believe:

  • Communities should make the decisions about their own futures. 
  • Humanitarian aid, sustainable development, and peacebuilding are inextricably linked parts of life, and aid strategies and funding should reflect that reality.
  • International aid should be as local as possible and as international as necessary.
  • Collective action and collaboration are essential to creating long-term, large-scale change.

Help us fight for aid that is more sustainable and respectful.

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