Fondasyon Kuehner

The mission of Fondasyon Kuehner/Hope for Haiti (FK/HFH) is to improve the quality of life for the Haitian people, particularly women and children. Our vision for Haiti is one of joyful children, healthy families, thriving communities, and the resources to make it so. We hold resilience, empowerment, accountability, collaboration, and hope as core values, guiding our approach and daily work.

It only took one visit for the children of Haiti to capture the heart and soul of our organization’s founder, JoAnne Kuehner, in 1989. She put her trust and support into local leaders who were striving to enhance educational access in their communities. Partnering with Dr. Keith Hussey in 1999, Hope for Haiti (HFH) formally registered in the United States as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and began to provide nutritional support for pregnant women and children under five, as well as funds and logistical support for families facing extraordinary healthcare needs.

Between 1999 and 2009, HFH delivered more than $40M in aid to the people of Haiti. By 2009, each year HFH was supporting 37 partner schools, 500 teachers, and 12,000 students; receiving and distributing $15M in gift-in-kind medications and medical supplies to more than 60 partners; running the Infirmary St. Etienne in Les Cayes with a full time medical staff; providing nutrition support to 5,000 children; and responding to hurricanes with emergency relief funds and supplies. In 2009, HFH expanded its programs to address access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH), reforestation, and the construction of school, water and electricity infrastructure.

In response to the earthquake which struck Haiti in 2010, HFH set up a trauma center to support the Port-au-Prince General Hospital; distributed more than $30M of emergency relief supplies and medical materials to Internally Displaced People (IDP) and hospitals; and established a clinic in the Don Bosco IDP Camp serving more than 10,000 people. That year, HFH also established its Back to School program, providing partner schools with resources to start each school year, and launched its Public Health program, hiring and training 24 Community Health Workers.

In 2011, Fondasyon Kuehner (FK) was formally registered with the Haitian government. From 2011 through 2019, FK/HFH would continue to expand its Haitian staff to 50 employees, procure and distribute nearly $92M in gift-in-kind medications and medical supplies, and provide more than 80,000 medical and dental consultations. FK/HFH also expanded its work to include Economic Development activities.

Since 2020, FK/HFH’s activities have increased dramatically. FK/HFH procures and distributes more than $25M of gift-in-kind medications and medical supplies to more than 60 partners across Haiti each year. Our Healthcare Program now includes mobile clinics in rural communes throughout the Greater South, in addition to the Infirmary St. Etienne, collectively providing more than 100,000 primary care and dental consultations each year. Services include laboratory tests, vaccinations, screening for cervical and breast cancer, free prescription medications, and a referral program for cases requiring treatment at other facilities. Our Nutrition Program continues to provide vital support to 5,000 children under five each year.

FK/HFH currently employs more than 90 people in Haiti, nearly all of whom are Haitian nationals, supported by a team of ten staff in the United States. Our Public Health staff now includes Community Health Workers embedded in 24 partner communities, who educate communities on chronic disease management; WASH; and cholera prevention.

FK/HFH continues to assist communities rebuilding infrastructure following the August 14, 2021, earthquake. Our Education Program provides teacher salary subsidies, teacher and administrator training, back to school funding, public health education, school gardens, and infrastructure projects which support the education of more than 7,000 students annually. We also now offer post-secondary scholarships to 50 students graduated from partner schools each year, providing tuition and textbook assistance for up to five years. We adopt a gender-focused approach to our programs, ensuring that at least 50% of scholarship recipients are female, and monitoring the male-to-female ratio among students and teachers. Every March, in recognition of International Women’s Day, FK/HFH organizes a range of activities to encourage and empower female education.

Since 2021 the Economic Development Program has also grown and diversified. We have provided Digital Cash/Voucher Assistance, microloans, loans, and grants, in the value of over $1.5M, as well as business, financial literacy and sustainable agriculture training to individuals, small business owners and farmers in communities throughout the Greater South. We also form and maintain Village Savings and Loan Associations among female small business owners in partner communities to help them access credit, save for emergencies and major personal expenses (such as school tuition for their children), and grow their businesses.