New World Bank Grant to Benefit Thousands of Haitian Students after Hurricane Matthew

WASHINGTON, November 10, 2016 – The World Bank’s Board of Directors approved today a US$30 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA), the fund for the poorest countries, to improve learning and enrollment of students in the four departments of Southern Haiti most affected by the recent hurricane.

“This project is focusing on the Government’s priorities to resume schooling for the children and families affected by Hurricane Matthew, and improve quality of teaching and learning, so children are better equipped for life and can fulfil their full potential," said Jean Beauvois DORSONNE, Minister of Education.

Hurricane Matthew left 1.4 million people in need of immediate humanitarian assistance and recorded damages and losses of about 22 percent of the country’s GDP. It also damaged about 3,400 schools and destroyed 500, according to a rapid Damage and Loss Assessment conducted by the Government, with support from the World Bank and other partners.

“In the aftermath of Matthew, many children are out of school and many schools continue to be used as temporary shelters,” said Mary Barton- Dock, World Bank Special Envoy to Haiti. “The aim is to reallocate resources from the Education for All – Phase II project, to scale up school feeding, rehabilitate schools, and help the Ministry of Education restore access and improve the quality of education for the children most in need.”

Specifically, the project will:

• Finance school feeding in targeted schools, including the distribution of a breakfast snack and a hot lunch every day, as well as the delivery of vitamin A, deworming, water purification kits, and hygiene training;
• Support school enrollment through the provision of community education grants, school grants, and tuition waivers for about 50,000 children enrolled in selected public and private primary schools;
• Rehabilitate or build classrooms in 75 primary schools;
• Train teachers and school directors and purchase school supplies for at least 100 public schools;
• Develop standards to improve schooling performance, and strengthen monitoring and evaluation at central and local levels.

This six year project is a US$30 million grant, and will be implemented by the Ministry of National Education and Professional Training (MENFP).

Background on how the World Bank is responding to Hurricane Matthew

Few days after Hurricane Matthew hit the country, the World Bank mobilized a team of 25 staff to support the Ministry of Economy and Finance and other line ministries, together with the Inter-American Development Bank, the EU, the UN and other partners, to conduct a rapid damage and loss assessment, which estimate the total losses and damages to US$2 billion or 22% of GDP.

At the same time, contingent emergency response components of IDA’s existing projects were immediately activated to direct funds towards the recovery, including:A temporary bridge in Petit-Goâve, where the original one was washed away, cutting the only road access to the three departments worst affected;

• A step up rapid response to cholera in Hurricane affected areas, including increased epidemiological surveillance, and provision of medical supplies, water, sanitation and chlorination interventions;  
•  Distribution of seeds and fertilizer for the winter planting season, and cash for work support for repairing the irrigation canals;
• Rehabilitation of schools and expansion of school feeding in the most affected areas.  
  
  

In addition, a request for additional financing is put forward to the IDA Crisis Response Window to help with the medium and long-term recovery.