Economic Growth Haiti Project #2090

Help 500 Rural Haitian Families Fight Hunger

by Partners of the Americas

Project Report | Jan 3, 2011
Seeds of Change Planted in Haiti

By Peggy Carlson, Jean Rony and Mary VanDenHeuvel | Project Coordinators and Participants

Sharing experiences with fellow producers

The Feeding Families Project is proud to be contributing to agricultural development in Grand Boulage and surrounding areas. In collaboration with Friends of Haiti (FOH) and other groups, progress is being made in the nursery and small animal projects.

Nursery Project
Below are some excerpts from recent reports from Nursery Manager Jean Rony Dorelus:

Seedling Production:

2,400 bags have been filled and 1,040 seedlings have been distributed and planted in the ground
1,360 seedlings are in growth and will be distributed, including: 500 Avocado trees, 300 Casse trees, 200 Sede trees, 300 Orange tree and 10 Almond trees

Trees Planted:
540 trees are planted: 120 Avocado trees, 80 Casse trees, 70 Sed trees, and 64 Mango trees

The Gardens:
15 families have vegetables gardens at their homes, and some are doing quite well. Others are facing challenges, particularly the insects that are destroying the plants. We are seeking solutions to this pest problem. Training sessions have been held for families with gardens focused mainly on the production and protection of the seedlings. Vegetable seeds that we would like in the future include cabbage, carrots, beets, spinach, tomatoes, beans, lettuce, and Parsley.

Small Animal Production
In the area of small animals, training has been provided to goat producers in the community. FOH has started a new program modeled after 4 H that focuses on school children and teaches them how to properly raise animals and gives them a pregnant goat.

The rabbit activities continue and each new rabbitry that is build seems to be an improvement over the next. The community wants additional rabbit production units to be started for other successful producers. The next step for the rabbit producers is to develop a better marketing plan that will further encourage production, co-operation and an income source.

**Your generous gifts help support these and other activities in Haiti and we THANKS YOU for your donations and commitment to the Feeding Families Project!**

Collecting local planting materials

Visit to successful rabbitry in Grand Boulage

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Sep 1, 2010
Feeding Families Project Update: A Growing Sense of Accomplishment

By Meghan Olivier | Program Officer

Seedlings such as coffee, almond, and mango

I recently returned from Haiti, where I traveled to Grand Boulage to monitor ongoing activities in the community. We shared in the fruits of the community’s efforts quite literally, enjoying pumpkin soup, salad, and other delicious foods! I was able to observe many results of project support such as watering cans in the nursery alongside tree seedlings, healthy goats, chickens, rabbits, and kitchen gardens.

In addition to these tangible results achieved through the Feeding Families project and its collaborative partners, the longer-term, intangible outcomes are just as rewarding. One story that stands out is that of Delicame Murat, who will soon begin classes to learn to read and write. She is able to afford the tutor thanks to her earnings in rabbit production.

Another example is a producer who has become successful in her production that she now tracks animal breeding and earnings very closely with recordkeeping notebooks. The records help in management of activities. She is using the information strategically, choosing to focus more efforts on the activities which are more productive.

In general, the pride and sense of accomplishment is obvious on the faces of the people. They display their results with pride, and even when there are setbacks, the result is increased determination to overcome the problem rather than giving up. Our local project managers even describe the community members as appearing “younger” now. Their improved health, empowerment, and social status is apparent in the way they carry themselves and go about daily life. As a donor to this project, that is something I can feel good about!

Below are some photos from Grand Boulage, and you can read more on Partners of the Americas’ Farmer to Farmer blog at http://farmertofarmer.blogspot.com/2010/08/successful-micro-entrepreneurs-in-haiti.html. The blog highlights a few of the producers and the collaboration with other groups which helps make the Feeding Families project so successful. Thank you for your contribution to this project.

Adult and young goats

Producers proudly displaying their record books

Links:

Farmer to Farmer Blog Article

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Jun 15, 2010
Project Update and Bonus Day (June 16th)!

By Peggy Carlson | Farmer to Farmer Program Director

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