Revive 1000 Haiti Gardens After Hurricane Matthew

Hi folks,

Your generous support, and the support of GlobalGiving, has done so much to mitigate the effects of Hurricane Matthew and subsequent setbacks by putting vegetable seeds, tools, and fertilizer in the hands of farmers who had lost everything. Now, our partners are considering what a post-recovery program should look like.

In the last report, we shared that we’re bringing this project to a close so we can collaborate on a broader project. Our partners have established, and continue to develop, resilient networks that can move their farmers toward collective self-sufficiency. Sharing the skills and resources already on the ground has gone a long way toward ensuring that farmers will be prepared for the next challenge.

The new project is still being designed based on feedback from our partners. As the physical infrastructure continues to be rebuilt, we’re finding ways to work with our partners and their farmers where they are. Most of all, the new project should be adaptable so it can respond to new challenges as they arise.

We all know Haiti has more than its share of challenges, but it also has incredible community innovators. Partners like FONDAMA exemplify this. You might remember their tire gardens from our last report — they trained communities to adapt the materials at hand, tires, and protect their vegetables from floods and wind. The photos in this report show one of the community trainings.

It’s been a privilege to work with partner organizations like Ayiti KonseVet (AKV), FONDAMA, Tree Angels for Haiti, Consider Haiti, Little Footprints Big Steps, and others. We know our work is not done, and we plan to follow the lead of these local community leaders as we deepen our partnerships. We hope you’ll continue to follow and support these leaders and their communities, and we’ll post an update here once the new project opens.

In the meantime, you might be interested in Seeds and Support for School Gardens Worldwide, a new project that supports school garden programs like AKV’s. AKV has trained teachers, established gardens, and provided support services to schools throughout the regions they serve. To quote, “AKV has a vision to establish school gardens everywhere.”

Visit Seeds and Support for School Gardens Worldwide →

Again, thank you. Thank you for your ongoing support of SPI and our partners. A special thank you to GlobalGiving for their generous support of $20,000 through the Hurricane Matthew Recovery Fund.

We’re grateful for your trust and hope we’ll see you in the new project!