Haiti
Economic Development
Updates from the Field - Help 500 Rural Haitian Families Fight Hunger
Updates from the FieldUpdates from the Field (or Progress Reports) on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.com by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
|
Recent Updates from the Field
- Nov 19, 2009 - Help Feed Haitian Families this Thanksgiving and you Donation will be Matched!
- Aug 4, 2009 - Feeding Families Update
- Apr 16, 2009 - New photos from the Feeding Families project!
- Nov 4, 2008 - Exciting Progress!
- Aug 18, 2008 - Feeding Families update!
- Jun 23, 2008 - Haiti project underway!
Help Feed Haitian Families this Thanksgiving and you Donation will be Matched!
By Meghan Olivier and Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak - Farmer to Farmer Program Representatives, November 20, 2009 12:09 PM
Thank you to all of our generous donors who make the Feeding Families project possible. We are excited to highlight an important project milestone: members of the project’s target community are now training surrounding communities with the knowledge and resources they have received.
In June, July, and August, the Goat Committee in the community of Grand Boulage carried out 4 training sessions in the surrounding communities of Noyau, Plaisance, Marin, and Maroutière, training an average of 16 people per session in goat production. Such locally-available training is invaluable in Haitian communities that are often difficult to access due to mountainous terrain, poor road conditions, and muddy rainy seasons.
The new trainers have benefitted from a collaborative effort, with knowledge and resources coming from Makouti Agro Enterprise and Farmer to Farmer volunteers, who carry out this project’s activities, as well as the Friends of Haiti and Food for the Poor. In July, FTF volunteer Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak along with Makouti technical officer Anderson Pierre conducted 10 home visits to troubleshoot and diagnose problems with goats that were dying. In Grand Boulage, they checked 23 adult goats and 21 kids. Dr. Pasternak reported that the goats they saw looked better – people are now giving them water and some are giving them salt – and there are fewer deaths than there were previously.
Still, many goats do not have enough access to the water, babies are being born during storms without protection, and there have been a number of health problems. The Goat Committee believes that many animal losses in the first year were due to negligence and ignorance, highlighting the necessity and importance of the local training sessions.
As the Global Giving project page asks “Why is this project important?” you and others may continue to ask this question to yourself. One of the responses on our webpage is Potential Long Term Impact. Since long term impact is achieved through the members of the community, this milestone is an important one. Having reached this important stepping stone, there is much work that remains to be done to ensure that these communities will be able to produce a sufficient quantity and variety of food for their families. Especially as you are preparing for the feast of Thanksgiving, and since this project’s funds are being matched at 30 – 50% through December 1, please consider making a donation to help our neighbors in Haiti feed themselves in a sustainable way.
In June, July, and August, the Goat Committee in the community of Grand Boulage carried out 4 training sessions in the surrounding communities of Noyau, Plaisance, Marin, and Maroutière, training an average of 16 people per session in goat production. Such locally-available training is invaluable in Haitian communities that are often difficult to access due to mountainous terrain, poor road conditions, and muddy rainy seasons.
The new trainers have benefitted from a collaborative effort, with knowledge and resources coming from Makouti Agro Enterprise and Farmer to Farmer volunteers, who carry out this project’s activities, as well as the Friends of Haiti and Food for the Poor. In July, FTF volunteer Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak along with Makouti technical officer Anderson Pierre conducted 10 home visits to troubleshoot and diagnose problems with goats that were dying. In Grand Boulage, they checked 23 adult goats and 21 kids. Dr. Pasternak reported that the goats they saw looked better – people are now giving them water and some are giving them salt – and there are fewer deaths than there were previously.
Still, many goats do not have enough access to the water, babies are being born during storms without protection, and there have been a number of health problems. The Goat Committee believes that many animal losses in the first year were due to negligence and ignorance, highlighting the necessity and importance of the local training sessions.
As the Global Giving project page asks “Why is this project important?” you and others may continue to ask this question to yourself. One of the responses on our webpage is Potential Long Term Impact. Since long term impact is achieved through the members of the community, this milestone is an important one. Having reached this important stepping stone, there is much work that remains to be done to ensure that these communities will be able to produce a sufficient quantity and variety of food for their families. Especially as you are preparing for the feast of Thanksgiving, and since this project’s funds are being matched at 30 – 50% through December 1, please consider making a donation to help our neighbors in Haiti feed themselves in a sustainable way.
Pictures:
Want to support this project's continued work? 
Feeding Families Update
By Peggy Carlson - Building a Road to Self-Sufficiency in Haiti, August 06, 2009 11:50 AM
Not only is composting already underway in Grand Boulage (the primary target community for the Feeding Families Project) but this past spring, small gardens began to blossom producing an abundance of vegetables. As people observed their neighbors’ success, they began inquiring about training and materials to start their own gardens, expanding the vegetable garden project. There are now 24 people who have begun cultivating their own home gardens and compost piles, and approximately 150 who have received seeds.
In order to ensure the success of the project, vegetable production sites are continuously monitored and evaluated. This past spring, there were six home visits in which eleven compost piles and five gardens were evaluated. After a thorough analysis, it was discovered that one of the major problems facing these sites was that chickens were destroying the gardens. Farming families were encouraged to protect the gardens with simple materials that they had at their disposal. Twelve of the families in the program received materials to aid in the fence construction which will help to protect their gardens. Some of these gardens are shown in the photos accompanying this update.
As part of the tree nursery component of the Feeding Families project, we have a goal of planting thousands of trees within the Grand Boulage Region. Under manager Yvronel Andre’s guidance, over 3,000 trees were planted to reforest the area, and a goal developed to distribute 4,000 trees throughout the area by May of 2010. These seedlings will include Kas for terracing, Ludeana and Ciruela for rabbit food and Dolivs and fruit trees for humans.
Training is a critical component of project success. A one-day training session has already been held in the Grand Boulage School which focused on vegetable gardening, composting and pest management. The training session was a success as not only was valuable information provided to local farmers, but the participants were mostly young adults. These young adults are part of the generation that will be the leaders in the struggle to become self-sufficient.
In conjunction with training sessions, other measures are being taken to expand the vision of future community leaders. A group of 30 young people from Grand Boulage and the surrounding mountain communities will attend a two week summer camp in Pandiassou focusing on agriculture and food production, co-sponsored by the Feeding Families Project and Friends of Haiti.
Rabbit production is another important component of the project. In May, three leading rabbit producers from Grand Boulage were provided advanced training by Makouti Agro-Enterprise in Cap Haitian. The trainees returned enthused and have since been helping their community understand the importance of working together in order to allow for a continuous supply of rabbits for market, breeding and consumption. Cage wire and water bottles have been purchased with your generous donations to enable expansion of the rabbit project. And program collaborators such as Farmer to Farmer and Makouti are providing follow-up training and recommendations to the producers in the community.
The Feeding Families Project is making great progress and is affecting countless lives in the Grand Boulage area. Working together with Friends of Haiti, Partners of the Americas’ Farmer to Farmer Program and Makouti, the project will help Grand Boulage come closer to their goal of being a self-sufficient society. All of this success and impact cannot have been done without the support from donors. We would like to formally thank all of donors for their generous contribution and hope that many will continue to contribute to the success of the Feeding Families Project.
In order to ensure the success of the project, vegetable production sites are continuously monitored and evaluated. This past spring, there were six home visits in which eleven compost piles and five gardens were evaluated. After a thorough analysis, it was discovered that one of the major problems facing these sites was that chickens were destroying the gardens. Farming families were encouraged to protect the gardens with simple materials that they had at their disposal. Twelve of the families in the program received materials to aid in the fence construction which will help to protect their gardens. Some of these gardens are shown in the photos accompanying this update.
As part of the tree nursery component of the Feeding Families project, we have a goal of planting thousands of trees within the Grand Boulage Region. Under manager Yvronel Andre’s guidance, over 3,000 trees were planted to reforest the area, and a goal developed to distribute 4,000 trees throughout the area by May of 2010. These seedlings will include Kas for terracing, Ludeana and Ciruela for rabbit food and Dolivs and fruit trees for humans.
Training is a critical component of project success. A one-day training session has already been held in the Grand Boulage School which focused on vegetable gardening, composting and pest management. The training session was a success as not only was valuable information provided to local farmers, but the participants were mostly young adults. These young adults are part of the generation that will be the leaders in the struggle to become self-sufficient.
In conjunction with training sessions, other measures are being taken to expand the vision of future community leaders. A group of 30 young people from Grand Boulage and the surrounding mountain communities will attend a two week summer camp in Pandiassou focusing on agriculture and food production, co-sponsored by the Feeding Families Project and Friends of Haiti.
Rabbit production is another important component of the project. In May, three leading rabbit producers from Grand Boulage were provided advanced training by Makouti Agro-Enterprise in Cap Haitian. The trainees returned enthused and have since been helping their community understand the importance of working together in order to allow for a continuous supply of rabbits for market, breeding and consumption. Cage wire and water bottles have been purchased with your generous donations to enable expansion of the rabbit project. And program collaborators such as Farmer to Farmer and Makouti are providing follow-up training and recommendations to the producers in the community.
The Feeding Families Project is making great progress and is affecting countless lives in the Grand Boulage area. Working together with Friends of Haiti, Partners of the Americas’ Farmer to Farmer Program and Makouti, the project will help Grand Boulage come closer to their goal of being a self-sufficient society. All of this success and impact cannot have been done without the support from donors. We would like to formally thank all of donors for their generous contribution and hope that many will continue to contribute to the success of the Feeding Families Project.
Pictures:
Want to support this project's continued work?
New photos from the Feeding Families project!
By Peggy Carlson - Program Director, April 16, 2009 01:20 PM
A lot of exciting things are happening in Haiti and we want to thank all our donors for your generous support. Below are some photos showing some of the activities your donations have helped support. We will continue to keep you updated as we reach more families in rural Haiti!
Pictures:
Want to support this project's continued work?
Exciting Progress!
By Peggy Carlson - Program Director, November 04, 2008 05:58 PM
I've just returned from Haiti and am excited to report that the Feeding Families Project is making progress! Partners and Makouti have used project funds collected to date and teamed up with Caritas and Friends of Haiti to provide chickens, goats, rabbits and seedlings to families throughout the project area (Grand Boulage). So far:
CHICKENS: 12 families have received 10 chickens each and are starting to raise them.
GOATS: 170 families have received a female goat (and 4 have received male breeding goats). Families have also received assistance in building goat pens and in providing forage/food. 10 families already have baby goats. When the goats breed, families give 1 female goat back to the program (so it can be given to another new family)
RABBITS: 258 families now have rabbits in family production units. Several gallons of mineral oil have also been provided to the community to help control mange in rabbits.
NURSERY: 70 families have been given 10 Benzolive tree seedlings each. Rabbits and goats eat these leaves, and they can be made into tea and eaten by people as well.
We are excited about the progress (and the assistance and collaboration of Caritas and FOH) but there is still much more to do. More families need assistance and families that received animals or trees need continued training. We hope we can count on your continued support!
CHICKENS: 12 families have received 10 chickens each and are starting to raise them.
GOATS: 170 families have received a female goat (and 4 have received male breeding goats). Families have also received assistance in building goat pens and in providing forage/food. 10 families already have baby goats. When the goats breed, families give 1 female goat back to the program (so it can be given to another new family)
RABBITS: 258 families now have rabbits in family production units. Several gallons of mineral oil have also been provided to the community to help control mange in rabbits.
NURSERY: 70 families have been given 10 Benzolive tree seedlings each. Rabbits and goats eat these leaves, and they can be made into tea and eaten by people as well.
We are excited about the progress (and the assistance and collaboration of Caritas and FOH) but there is still much more to do. More families need assistance and families that received animals or trees need continued training. We hope we can count on your continued support!
Want to support this project's continued work?
Feeding Families update!
By Meghan Olivier - Program Officer, August 22, 2008 01:31 PM
With your generous giving, the Feeding Families project has passed the $1,000 mark in donations! Thank you to all of our supporters.
In June, we announced the trip of a volunteer specialist, funded by the Partners Farmer to Farmer Program, to train rabbit producers in some of the target communities of the Feeding Families Project, with focuses on small animals, vegetables plots and nurseries. In the following quote from her recent trip, veterinarian and small animal specialist Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak highlights the on-the-ground impacts of rising food costs in the rural communities:
“The increase in the cost of food has made is very difficult for everyone. Many areas are receiving food aid, but it is just a scratch on the surface. It is having an impact on our microcredit program, so we are also providing an alternative which is repayment [with] 6 female rabbits (offspring). This of course will take some time to give us a return, but will in the long run supply us with more breeding stock which we sorely need. Always a challenge. We are also looking at setting up meat processing facilities as we will need them soon enough in some areas.”
This statement points to the great need for a project like “Feeding Families”, which goes beyond food handouts to train promising community participants in food and animal production. Over the months our field staff and volunteers have been identifying the producers who have shown the most success in production and responsiveness to trainings. Your donations will provide the “breeding stock which we sorely need” in addition to other inputs such as seeds, trees, and further training. Stay tuned for future project updates!
In June, we announced the trip of a volunteer specialist, funded by the Partners Farmer to Farmer Program, to train rabbit producers in some of the target communities of the Feeding Families Project, with focuses on small animals, vegetables plots and nurseries. In the following quote from her recent trip, veterinarian and small animal specialist Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak highlights the on-the-ground impacts of rising food costs in the rural communities:
“The increase in the cost of food has made is very difficult for everyone. Many areas are receiving food aid, but it is just a scratch on the surface. It is having an impact on our microcredit program, so we are also providing an alternative which is repayment [with] 6 female rabbits (offspring). This of course will take some time to give us a return, but will in the long run supply us with more breeding stock which we sorely need. Always a challenge. We are also looking at setting up meat processing facilities as we will need them soon enough in some areas.”
This statement points to the great need for a project like “Feeding Families”, which goes beyond food handouts to train promising community participants in food and animal production. Over the months our field staff and volunteers have been identifying the producers who have shown the most success in production and responsiveness to trainings. Your donations will provide the “breeding stock which we sorely need” in addition to other inputs such as seeds, trees, and further training. Stay tuned for future project updates!
Want to support this project's continued work?
Haiti project underway!
By Peggy Carlson - Program Director, June 23, 2008 07:56 PM
Thanks to those who already donated. The Haiti Feeding Families project is underway! In collaboration with the Partners Farmer to Farmer Program, a rabbit specialist will be traveling to Haiti in July to train new and existing rabbit producers. More details soon!
