Jacmel/Haiti

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Jacmel/Haïti

The cooperation between Strasbourg and Jacmel began in 1991. The focal point was hygiene in the town and efforts are still continuing today.

Jacmel is the capital of the Sud Est Department of Haiti and is located 100 or so kilometres from Port-au-Prince. It has a population of around 140,000.

Linked since 1991

Cooperation with Jacmel actually started in 1991, driven by the Strasbourg Haitian community within the Hibiscus assocaition and encouraged by the country's return to democracy after 30 years under the dictatorship of the Duvalier family. After a difficult start, the cooperation proper, in close coordination with the regional cooperation development Institute (IRCOD - Institut Régional de Coopération Développement), got underway in 1996. Priority was hygiene and sanitation within the city.

Cooperation aims

Support local development initiatives for the benefit of Jacmel inhabitants.

Discussions in the area of early childhood with the Jacmel Preschool Center Management Service (SGCPJ—Service de Gestion des Centres Préscolaires de Jacmel) initiated in 2004 have been considerably progressed since 2012. The local authority's Early childhood service is associated with this initiative which aims to support the SGCPJ in its organizational aspects and teaching actions. This component supplements the reconstruction actions for the SGCPJ taken in partnership with Architects Without Borders following the earthquake of 2010 (a study was carried out on rebuilding 9 kindergartens that were destroyed or damaged) resulting in the construction of the “Le Soleil” kindergarten and the reconstruction of administrative offices for SGCPJ, all of this through funding from donations collected after the earthquake and support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development.

An International solidarity volunteer was based in Jacmel in July 2016 for one year to coordinate these actions.

In the area of culture, the two cities have on-going exchanges between the Strasbourg Conservatory and the Jacmel Music School with teachers being regularly sent for training courses in summer and Jacmel teachers being hosted in Strasbourg every autumn for advanced training.