June Newsletter: COVID-19 Response in Haiti and Latest News

Read SOIL's June newsletter below. To receive stories like these directly in your inbox each month, click here to sign up for our mailing list.

This month, we want to take a moment before our regular updates to acknowledge the vitally necessary action taking place in the United States and across the world. We stand in solidarity with Black communities and activists around the globe working to reimagine a world without the systemic racism and police brutality that have gone unchecked for centuries. These injustices are rooted in the colonial histories that continue to plague the world; Haiti is a beacon of Black independence and revolution, and it is our privilege to fight for justice and human rights here. Lavi Moun Nwa Enpotan, Black Lives Matter!

Dear Friends,

The SOIL team remains busy as we work to provide uninterrupted sanitation services throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This month, we have some updates to share about SOIL’s emergency response work, as well as some inspiring media features of SOIL’s work.  

COVID-19 Emergency Response

Operating in the midst of a global pandemic has been challenging for all of us, but we continue to stay driven in our focus on providing safe sanitation services to the communities we serve in Cap-Haitien. As of this week, COVID-19 cases in Haiti have grown to nearly 4,000, though the true scale of cases is likely much worse. Access to safe sanitation and hygiene services continues to be a critical component of minimizing the spread of the virus in vulnerable communities.

Because of our long-term commitment and deep local partnerships in Haiti, SOIL has an important role to play during this emergency, and in partnership with local officials in Cap-Haïtien, our team installed hand washing stations and public toilets in the city’s market place, as well as at a COVID-19 treatment center in a hospital just outside of the city.

According to Romel Toussaint, SOIL’s Senior Manager, the emergency public toilets have been a success amidst a challenging moment. He noted that “as many as 200 people frequent them per day.” Romel also shared that the newly installed toilets at the hospital are receiving a lot of positive feedback because of their durability and water-saving capacity.

Exciting New Recognitions

We are also thrilled to share some exciting recognitions that SOIL has received over the past month:

National Geographic: Explorers in the Field

For this feature, National Geographic spoke with our own Dr. Sasha Kramer on how SOIL’s sanitation solution is working to address one of the most pressing problems in under-resourced and climate-vulnerable urban communities. The Explorer in the Field video examines what it means for a country to have just 1% of its waste safely treated and how SOIL is making an impact on both health and the environment by using ecological sanitation to turn human waste into safe compost. You can check out the feature video here.

Editors’ Choice Award for the Food Planet Prize

SOIL’s team has been chosen as Editors’ Pick in The Curt Bergfor’s Food Planet Prize! SOIL has been recognized for our innovative circular economy sanitation solution which promotes climate resiliency, protects ecosystems, restores soil fertility, and ultimately nurtures sustainable food production. Our work is possible because of your friendship, generosity, and commitment to working towards a more just, resilient future for Haiti and the world. Thank you.

With love from Haiti,

The SOIL team