Stories
November 25, 2024 • 2 min read
Jean Baptiste is a 26-year-old man living in Carrefour, one of Port-au-Prince's most vulnerable and densely populated neighbourhoods. Intense gang violence in Carrefour made securing stable, reliable employment nearly impossible. Life was a daily challenge, and Jean Baptiste was constantly worrying about his family’s future.
Cash and Voucher Assistance
Jean Baptiste once relied on odd jobs to make ends meet, taking on any work he could find—from heavy labour to going door-to-door, offering various services to neighbours.
“I can say there was no life at all before being a part of this project,” Jean Baptiste said, “Finding money to meet my family’s needs was extremely difficult.”
Everything changed for Jean Baptiste and his family when he began receiving food vouchers and cash assistance through GOAL’s unconditional food assistance programme, funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.
Under the Addressing Multi-Sectoral Needs in the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince (MAPP) project, 4,272 households have received multiple rounds of food vouchers, each valued at $120.
This support enabled Jean Baptiste to purchase essential food items like bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, and even meat and seafood.
Restoring Hope
This support came at a pivotal moment in Jean Baptiste’s life. His wife had only recently given birth to their child, and the future felt very uncertain.
“GOAL’s help came at the perfect time,” he explained.
“I was worried about how I would feed my family. If it weren’t for the assistance, I would have had to borrow money. I already owe so much to so many people; I didn’t know if I could find anyone else to help.”
The vouchers brought Jean Baptiste a profound sense of relief:
“As soon as I received the vouchers, I called GOAL’s hotline to thank them for this project. It gave me hope when I needed it most.”
The assistance provided by GOAL has enabled Jean Baptiste to support his family in the short term, but he still faces uncertainty about the future:
“I hope GOAL can continue to help, as I still can’t find steady work because of the security situation,” he explained.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) administers the US Foreign Assistance Program, providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide. This impact story is made possible by the generous support of the American people through USAID. The contents are the responsibility of GOAL and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US Government.
