BUILDING COMMUNITY-DRIVEN RESILIENCE TO WATER INSECURITY

Last fall, we had the pleasure of working with Tanguy Lesegretain, a junior at Macalester College studying international studies and economics. As an intern, Tanguy supported us in the financial sector of the organization, assisting us with financial reporting, fundraising, and project management efforts. As a personal project, Tanguy examined the effectiveness of our programs from an economic perspective, analyzing our work in the community of Belle Meré. Read his reflection below:

After my first few weeks at Haiti Outreach, it became clear that the organization was unlike those I had studied in the classroom. Their strong emphasis on community-building set them apart from other organizations in a striking way. On one hand, HO’s “unit economics” were less efficient than those of larger NGOs, which could reach more people immediately. On the other, HO’s philosophy of neighborhood buy-in ensured the long-term viability of their interventions, both practically and socially.

While HO’s mission was clear, I wanted to apply my economics background and examine one community in particular to see this philosophy in action. After looking into a community in La Belle Mère, I observed very distinct trends. First, Haiti Outreach’s pay-for-service model proved highly effective in the long run. The Belle Mère community diligently collected and managed small service fees for over 11 years, allowing them to finance minor repairs along the way and build financial resilience for future needs. Second, HO’s emphasis on community ownership and training ensured the well’s long-term success—not just as an infrastructure but as an integral part of quotidian life. Through careful monitoring and maintenance, the well has provided over 1,860 cumulative years of water access to more than 140 people* 

Thanks to this project, I’ve come to realize that Haiti Outreach is a community-partner, not an outsider. This is evident in the lasting ties they have built with communities across Haiti over decades, as well as in their economically sound and strategic interventions in underserved neighborhoods. 

For any questions on my data or methods, please feel free to contact me at tanguy@haitioutreach.org

Connect with Tanguy on LinkedIn HERE

*Water Person-Years (WPY) is a metric used to quantify the amount of water provided to individuals over a specific period. It is typically calculated as the number of people receiving access to clean water multiplied by the number of years they benefit from that access. For example, if a water system provides clean water to 1,000 people for 10 years, the total Water Person-Years would be: 1,000 people × 10 years = 10,000 WPY. This measurement helps assess the long-term impact of water projects, particularly in terms of sustainability and community benefit.