HAITI OUTREACH COACH: ODNEL

The current sanitation initiative has transformed Odnel into a source of pride for the Haiti Outreach team. Through our leadership development work, communities now view Haiti Outreach staff as trusted advisors and problem-solvers. When community members see our team members arrive, they recognize them as accomplished leaders who can help address their challenges. This respect was demonstrated recently when a dispute arose over a goat that had damaged someone's garden—an issue that was headed to court until Odnel successfully mediated a resolution.

Odnel's growth becomes even more striking when compared to his previous experience. During our earlier UNICEF project, he felt discouraged by the limited results, having facilitated the construction of only 30 latrines. In this current initiative, he has helped coordinate the building of 305 latrines—a ten-fold increase that reflects both his development as a leader and his ability to inspire others with a shared vision.

The contrast between these two projects provided a crucial learning opportunity. The challenges encountered in our first UNICEF collaboration enabled our Country Director, Neil Van Dine, to advocate for a fundamental shift in community development approaches—moving away from shame-based models toward frameworks centered on empowerment and leadership. UNICEF incorporated Haiti Outreach's recommendations into their program redesign for the current initiative, and the dramatic improvement in outcomes validates this new approach.