SODA stands for Sosyete Djòl Ansanm pou Demokrasi Patisipatif, a colloquial term in Haitian Creole that roughly translates as Like-Minded People Working Toward Participatory Democracy. SODA is a decentralized network of grassroots groups based in poor communities in Haiti that are dedicated to promoting voluntary and cooperative ways of organizing in the pursuit of social justice, economic self-sufficiency and universal education.
SODA is officially recognized as a non-profit organization by Haiti’s Ministry of Social Affairs. SODA’s ultimate goal is to become a broad-based popular movement that will empower poor Haitians to confront and solve their problems through collective action.
SODA is a young movement and its goals are ambitious, but its impressive achievements are already providing a beacon of hope in a sea of despair.
