What makes a school resilient? Lessons from Haiti’s Grand Sud

A classroom is more resilient when it can do the ordinary things well: offer shelter from the weather, accessible entry, safe water and sanitation, a place for teachers to work, and a reliable meal for students who need one.

What the reporting tells us

In September 2026, the World Bank described new and renovated facilities at Mare-à-Coiffe in southern Haiti. Its PROMESSE initiative has supported access to education and school kitchens in the Grand Sud region.

A stronger school building cannot resolve insecurity everywhere, but investments in infrastructure can reduce barriers to attendance and give local communities a more durable place to learn.

Build for the everyday, not only emergencies

School quality can be judged by what happens on a normal Tuesday: Can a student reach class? Is there water? Is a teacher available? Are materials appropriate? Can a child with a disability participate? These practical questions should shape long-term projects, including any future Bisou Bisou Haiti resource space in Maniche.

What can help

For families and community groups, the most useful assistance is reliable, specific and locally informed. That may involve contact with a trusted educator, practical study supplies, access to a safe learning space or a way to connect with a suitable service. Any plan should be guided by current conditions rather than promises that cannot be kept.

A school’s status can change faster than a national statistic. Compare this chapter with our subsequent reporting on closure figures, relocated families and the kinds of school investments that may help learning resume. Our future initiatives remain goals subject to safety, local consultation and available resources.