Type: Blended
PHASE: Define
CATEGORY: Water
LOCATION: Crève, Bombardopolis, Haiti
KOLAB: Collaborate for Haiti
Central & South America

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A collaboration website for individuals and organizations to connect and discuss their water projects in Haiti. An online exchange of ideas and resources that will lead to improved water for Haitians.

Standings & Awards

190 out of 190 in Central & South America
69 out of 69 in Water
929 out of 929 in Define
1066 out of 1066 in Blended
4003 out of 4003 Overall
Better information. Better projects. Better water.

KOLAB, short for KOLABORAYSON – collaboration in Haitian Creole - is an online platform designed to connect organizations in Haiti working on water-related problems.

THE CHALLENGE

Haiti is the most water-impoverished nation: out of all the countries in the world, it has the least water resources per capita. Many individuals and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have stepped up to the challenge and are working to improve water conditions in Haiti.

In theory, this seems great: the more NGOs, the more financial resources and expertise available to create lasting change. In practice, however, there is a lack of collaboration and knowledge sharing among organizations. As a result, more NGOs in Haiti actually means more conflicting water projects and more wasted resources.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Through KOLAB, organizations can quickly and easily share information on their activities and observations on the ground, preventing wasted resources, and enabling Haitians to get better water sooner.

Better information means organizations are able to learn from each other’s mistakes, share contacts and resources, and coordinate on projects. With KOLAB connections, users will spend less time assessing current water issues, and can focus on designing and implementing better projects that provide better water to more Haitians.

Photography by Steven Gunter of Pearlsnap Photography at www.pearlsnapphotography.com. Taken during our trip to Crève in January 2012.

FIVE PROJECT QUESTIONS Required (60 - 90 minutes)

1. What is your innovation? 
KOLAB is a collaboration website for water projects in Haiti. Users create online profiles that are grouped by project location, connecting them to others working in the same communities. They can exchange resources and project details, such as water quality testing results. Users can connect to potential project partners, make local contacts, and share their experiences. KOLAB enables individuals and groups to maximize their impact in Haiti by presenting their work to the world.
2. Who gains the most? 
Haitians benefit from KOLAB when organizations use their resources more efficiently to provide safe and accessible water. National and global NGOs, enterprises, faith-based groups, and others involved in water projects benefit from resource-sharing, idea exchange, and cooperation by implementing more successful, more cost effective projects. The Haitian government benefits because KOLAB gives it an overview of organizations and projects on the ground.
3. Who pays? 
The main investment for KOLAB is the start-up cost of the final website which we estimate to be between $50K and $150K. Initially, KOLAB will rely on private donations, grants, and sponsors. In the long-run, the operational costs are mostly limited to website maintenance and marketing. To cover these expenses, KOLAB will offer advertising of water-related products and additional features, such as a report generation service for users.
4. What is your success? 
KOLAB measures impact using the following criteria: the number of current projects, joint projects, active users, and posts. After 12 months, KOLAB will operate in Creole, English, German, and French on water projects in Northwestern Haiti. After 3 years, KOLAB will expand its scope to include information on other development projects, such as agriculture and energy. After 5 years, KOLAB will include projects in countries identified by the United Nations as the least developed.
5. How will you do it? 
(1) Complete user needs assessment; (2) Develop prototype of website for test market and receive feedback from users and experts; (3) Establish partnerships and promote website with a focus on small organizations; (4) Secure donations and start-up grants; (5) Implement pilot website for water projects in Northwest Haiti; (6) Replicate model for other development projects and locations.