ESPWA
[ess-puh-wah]
The creole word for hope.
The feeling that what is wanted can be had
or that events will turn out for the best.
Project ESPWA is a Irish NGO established in 2011 by a group of volunteers in response to the devastating earthquake that struck the island of Haiti in 2010. ESPWA is the creole word for ‘Hope’, a theme we make central to our vision for the future.
An entire generation of orphans were created on that fateful day – orphans who found themselves frightened and alone, vulnerable to disease, violence and exploitation.
We work directly with the overburdened Haitian orphanage system to create safe, secure environments for the children in their care. We also maintain a regular supply line of relief aid shipped directly from Ireland – everything from hospital beds to wheelchairs, construction supplies to clothing and first aid.
We are a non-denominational, non-governmental and non-political organisation, relying exclusively on public fundraising.
Sustainable Development
On 1 January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. With a target date of 2030, these goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
We have called out a number of the UN Sustainable Development Goals that we actively align with, in particular:
Through our project and relief works, we seek to provide goods, services and housing that offer dignity and optimism to the most marginalised and vulnerable Haitian children and families.
Working specifically with local orphanages we build, rebuild, repair and restore damaged and inadequate facilities, ensuring safe spaces to deliver care and education as well as delivering valuable skills-training to local Haitian team members.
Our consumption of material goods is widely regarded as a root cause of climate change. Extracting and harvesting raw materials, as well as the processing, manufacturing and disposal of the products made contributes to pollution and the venting of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
As part of our relief works on the Island of Haiti, we maintain a regular supply-line of donated aid – everything from hospital beds to wheelchairs, construction supplies to first aid. We give these perfectly serviceable materials a new lease of life – conserving the energy and resources taken to make them in the first place.