Progressio and Christian Aid have signed a memorandum of understanding for programmatic cooperation within the Dominican Republic (DR) and Haiti. Based on the organisations’ common values and principles, and a shared understanding of the benefits of collaboration, the agreement aims to ensure more effective use of available resources and greater impact of on-the-ground development work.
The decision to work in partnership in the DR and Haiti draws on the success of previous and on-going engagement between the organisations, including in Peru where Progressio and Christian Aid currently operate a joint programme.
This new partnership in the DR and Haiti will benefit from the logistical links of a shared office. It will seek to build on opportunities provided by areas of current collaboration, including a sustainable environment and climate change project on the northern border and Christian Aid’s support of two Progressio development workers currently based in the Dominican Republic.
Following the successes of our current bi-national approach in trans-border areas, Progressio will continue to implement existing projects, placing development workers to support capacity building with local partners on the ground. Additionally, further joint activities, as well as communications and advocacy initiatives, will take place in tandem with Christian Aid.
Prospery Raymond, Caribbean Team Leader for Christian Aid, said: "The collaboration with Progressio is very important for Christian Aid’s work in the Caribbean, particularly in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Our work has a lot of complementarities, and this agreement is enhancing our effectiveness and capacity to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable people. This agreement will bring solutions to problems while working together."
Nicolo Schiaparelli, Progressio's Sub-Regional Manager in the Caribbean, said: "This agreement is based on the cooperation and understanding already developed in DR and Haiti, and represents a great opportunity to take a step forward in setting up a joint programme in the island. We are aiming to achieve a more effective use of our available resources, improve the quality of our work, and develop collective learning. In the difficult climate that individual development agencies are facing, this could be an important example of good practice."
Photo: Prospery Raymond (left) and Nicolo Schiaparelli (right)
