Ketia and her husband, both teachers, were able to support their three children before Hurricane Melissa swept through the Caribbean in October. The storm devastated their coastal community of Petit Goâve, leaving them without furniture, a car, or most of their possessions. Ketia’s family is now among approximately 225,000 people receiving assistance from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in the wake of the hurricane.
The family is benefiting from a voucher system that allows them to purchase goods from selected local retailers. This approach not only supports households affected by the storm but also stimulates the local economy. Channon Hachandi, Head of Supply Chain for WFP Haiti, explained that the electronic system records transactions, with WFP reimbursing the retailers. This method enables recipients to shop like normal customers rather than receiving aid at a traditional distribution point.
Even before Hurricane Melissa, more than half of the residents in the most affected regions were facing acute food insecurity, highlighting the long-standing humanitarian crisis in Haiti. The hurricane killed over 40 people and destroyed homes, businesses, and farmland, resulting in widespread loss of harvests in an area heavily dependent on small-scale agriculture.
WFP provided assistance before, during, and after the storm. Together with the Haitian government, the agency sent 3.5 million early warning messages via cellphone and issued cash payments to help households prepare. During the hurricane, families in temporary shelters received food rations, followed by 15 days of rations immediately after the storm as communities assessed the devastation.
The response has since evolved to include cash and vouchers, giving families what WFP describes as “the dignity of choice.” Currently, around 10 percent of Haitians receiving post-storm assistance benefit from the voucher program, which WFP plans to expand.
Wilfred Nkwambi, Head of Programmes at WFP Haiti, emphasized that the vouchers benefit the local economy as well. Shops distributing vouchers employ additional staff, particularly women and young people, while WFP hires day laborers for logistics, generating extra income for local families. This approach transforms humanitarian aid into a driver of economic recovery, creating benefits for both recipients and local merchants.
For Ketia, the vouchers have been life-changing. “Thanks to the food voucher distribution, we won’t go hungry in the coming weeks, and we have the chance to start rebuilding our lives,” she said, loading groceries onto a motorcycle taxi to return home. WFP highlights that placing dignity and choice at the heart of humanitarian interventions strengthens resilience for Haitian communities recovering from disasters.
