PADF: An Overview

Presentation to:Special Commission for Migration Issues

Amy Coughenour BetancourtDeputy DirectorJanuary 27, 2009

Pan American Development Foundation’s (PADF) Programs for Preparing for and Responding to

Natural Disasters and Other Humanitarian Crises

PADF: An Overview

PADF is the oldest and largest NGO

affiliated with the Organization of

American States (OAS)

PADF is a non-profit dedicated to

uniting public and private sector

strengths to improve conditions

in Latin America & the Caribbean

PADF had a positive impact on more

than 4.5 million people in 18

countries during its past fiscal year

Mission is to empower disadvantaged

people and communities in Latin

America and the Caribbean

A Hemisphere of Opportunity for All

To achieve sustainable economic

and social progress, strengthen

their communities and civil society

To prepare for and respond to natural

disasters and other humanitarian

crises

Responding to Natural Disasters

Preparedness and Mitigation35 Years of Success

Work with Private and Public Sectors,

Provide Shelter Packages, Food shipments, etc.

Disaster Management Alliance: Hemispheric

Collaboration

PADF Corporate Partners

National Emergency Management Authorities

Inter-American Committee on Disaster Management

Community Disaster Mitigation Projects Response in partnership with other relief agencies

Disaster Management & Emergency Response Program (DMERP)

DMERP

Leverages corporate participation Turn-key operation utilizes PADF’s local

offices & partnerships to ensure fast response, maximum beneficiaries

Recent Examples of Rapid Response Hurricanes in Haiti, 2008: Shelter packages, food, and

supplies benefiting over 480,000 Flooding and landslides in Panama, 2008: shelter package for

480 Tropical Storm in the Dominican Republic, 2008: 5,000

hygiene kits benefiting nearly 11,000 Earthquake in Peru, 2007: shelter package sent benefitting

500

Humanitarian Crises

Long history of response

Colombia: Internally Displaced Persons

Haiti: Modern-Day Slavery

Border Conflicts

Haiti/DR

Colombian borders

Recovery: agricultural, jobs, schools

Colombia’s Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

Civil conflicts have displaced 3 million people in Colombia

Largest population of IDPs in the hemisphere –second largest after Darfur

PADF has one of largest IDP programs– which has helped more than 500,000 people

Key focus on income generation and economic stability/development

Integrated approach with multi-sectoral partners

Trafficking of persons in Haiti is the worst

in the Western Hemisphere (Country report, US

Dept. of State, 2007)

Haiti’s Modern-Day Slavery

Up to 250,000 children are

victims of human trafficking

(Country report, US Dept. of State, 2007)

PADF is working on rescue,

reunification, advocacy,

education, and training of local

officials to combat trafficking

Mitigating Conflict in Border Regions

Haiti/Dominican Republic Border Region NGOs in many sectors Small producers (ranchers, fisherman, beekeepers, etc.) Youth and women Haitian and Dominican Parliamentarians

Colombia’s Border Partnership with the Government of Colombia

Humanitarian and emergency income assistance

Benefits 5,670 Colombians displaced in Panama and Ecuador

Strengthens local capacity to plan and implement strategies for providing emergency assistance

Together for Haiti (TFH)

In conjunction with Yele Haiti and the World

Food Programme

Complemented work of larger NGOs and

international disaster relief agencies

Impacted Haitians left without basic resources

following the devastating hurricanes of 2008

Targeted areas of high vulnerability

PADF: 485,000 beneficiaries with food

containers, rice shipments, clean water,

shelter packages, etc.

Direct Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries of PADF’s

programs include women,

children, youth, marginalized

groups such as Afro-Colombians

and indigenous peoples, and

other vulnerable populations

throughout the hemisphere.

Conclusion

PADF’s programs converge at the nexus

of disaster relief, humanitarian needs,

and displacement

Programs effectively leverage local,

national, and international stakeholders

PADF works in support of OAS

objectives and in partnership with OAS

units

Extensive institutional partnerships

allow PADF to deploy rapid relief

throughout the hemisphere