The 2010 earthquake in Haiti shocked the entire world,
but before disaster even struck, Yele Haiti was already helping local Haitian communities. Founded in 2005 by
musicians Wyclef Jean, Jerry Duplessis and Hugh Locke, Yele Haiti is a grassroots, non-profit organization that focuses
on providing the country with emergency relief, youth development and
opportunities for education, employment and addresses environmental issues.
Pre-earthquake, Yele Haiti had Yele Vert and the Youth
Orchestra of Haiti as its programs, the former of which is an agricultural
project for farmers, the latter training for young musicians. When the
earthquake struck, Yele Haiti began providing immediate assistance to the
ravished country, and to this day, continues to help the citizens of Haiti get
back on their feet. Yele Haiti is currently headed by Derek Johnson, CEO, and
keeps up its mission of giving the Haiti nation the support it needs in order
to fully recover from the effects of poverty and natural calamities.