In Haiti’s northeast, ‘Integrity Clubs’ sow seeds of anti-corruption education

OUANAMINTHE— Amid persistent corruption and weakening public trust in Haitian institutions, a new initiative launched in Haiti’s northeast is offering a rare spark of hope. On May 27, the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) launched the “Integrity Clubs” program in schools across Fort-Liberté and Ouanaminthe, aiming to instill anti-corruption values in youth from grades 1 to 4. In a country where corruption is often seen as entrenched, the initiative seeks to tackle the issue at its roots, through education.

“This isn’t just an activity; it’s a vision for changing Haitian society,” said ULCC lawyer Hérode Charnel, addressing the crowd. “It’s a cornerstone of social transformation.”

The launch brought together more than 2,000 students from 16 schools and marked a unified call to action among educators, civil society leaders, and state officials. The goal: create a generation that not only rejects corruption but helps rebuild a society shaken by it. The program focuses on reinforcing values like honesty, responsibility, and respect through school-based activities and discussions.

Anti-corruption education has also been implemented in other parts of the world, with Liberia’s anti-corruption commission announcing a partnership in May to integrate anti-corruption education into the country’s education curriculum for young students. South Korea has been a leading voice in implementing anti-corruption training in school curricula and preaching the effectiveness of such measures. Although there is no substantial research on the effectiveness of these programs or whether they have contributed to any general improvements in levels of corruption compared to other robust anti-corruption measures the country has taken, some early research shows a positive impact on integrity levels within the country’s public organizations.

“We must train a generation that distances itself from corrupt practices—practices that act like cancer and erode our society,” said Evens Fils, ULCC’s departmental director in the Northeast, underscoring the urgency of the program. 

A collective push against a persistent scourge

ULCC Director General Hans Jacques Ludwig Joseph emphasized that the program is not just symbolic—it’s strategic. “Corruption reduces public revenue, which directly impacts investments in education, health, and youth,” Joseph said. 

“In every young person here, I see a potential for resistance against national disintegration.”

Educators welcomed the program with enthusiasm and conviction. “Corruption affects everyone, from the family unit to the presidency,” said Rev. Father Mocombe Dudeley, principal of Saint-Eugène de Mazenod College in Fort-Liberté. “These clubs are the right way to tackle the root causes.”

At Saint-François-Xavier College in Ouanaminthe, students performed a sketch on corruption—an example of how the initiative is already translating lessons into action. School principal Edwine Zamy urged ULCC leaders to expand the program. “We need Integrity Clubs in every school in the country,” he said.

The Departmental Director of Education, Luckner Mompremier, joined the event to signal the ministry’s support. Schools, teachers, and students formally committed to integrating the clubs into their curricula—an unusual and encouraging sign of coordination between education and governance in Haiti.

Corruption remains a key driver of public distrust and governmental dysfunction in Haiti,  often shielding organized crime, undercutting essential services, and deepening inequality.

For the ULCC, the Integrity Clubs are only the beginning. The agency hopes to roll out the program nationwide, reinforcing the message that ethical change must start early and be sustained through structured civic engagement.

“This is how we win the long game,” Joseph said. “By building citizens who not only dream of a better Haiti—but are equipped to build it.”

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