Haiti: what resilience for the least resilient

Haiti has little luck. Violent storms hit with scandalous frequency, ruining lives and forcing Haiti into repeated rebuilding efforts. And while earthquakes are less common, the capital, Port-au-Prince, was levelled in 2010. Haiti also has little resilience. With a weak government, a subsistence economy, and a national trust deficit, Haiti struggles to invest in the necessary capacities to protect against and recover from crises.

Changing this situation will require much more investment in the baseline human capacities – a healthy and literate population – that underpin development efforts. The rapid expansion of universal public education would be an important step. With enough resources, Haiti could even pursue a bolsa familia conditional cash transfer programme to aid families and help children stay in school.