Despite the seemingly endless bad news that comes out of Haiti, Floresta has been able to create an indigenously managed program that addresses the vicious cycle that has so many Haitians locked in poverty and despair.
In 1995, Floresta was invited by Episcopal Priest Jean-Wilfrid Albert to provide agricultural and economic assistance to the communities in the region in which he worked, approximately 50 kilometers south of Port-au-Prince. Floresta responded and began working in Haiti in 1997.
Since then, Floresta Haiti has grown to an active local staff of 20, and has established a program that includes training in innovative agriculture techniques, reforestation, micro-credit, discipleship and marketing assistance for a growing number of rural Haitian communities.
Floresta has empowered local communities to plant over 200,000 trees and create over 2000 compost piles, resulting in a dramatic increase in crop yields. In addition, under the supervision of Floresta, farmers have established village banking cooperatives with credit and savings systems in 35 villages with nearly 1000 participants.
Haiti Program Report 12/31/07
This quarter Floresta provided the following services:
- Floresta cooperatives granted 42 loans to 42 farmers. The goal for the current fiscal year is to issue 600 loans to 400 farmers investing approximately $42,000. So far in the FY2008, 82 loans (14%) have been issued and the program expected to lend out most of the capital in the 4th quarter of the fiscal year. Deaths of dynamic cooperative leaders such as Adrien Chervil hurt the motivation of a few cooperatives.
- With the Geneva Global project, Floresta Haiti will now be operating in three different regions of the country. We are expecting to receive $285,000 over the next three years to oversee a community development initiative in Limbe in north Haiti. Both Floresta USA and Floresta Haiti staff took part in doing a baseline study to analyze the socio-economic conditions of the area.
- 10,261 trees were planted this quarter. So far in FY 2008, we planted 19,629 trees. We are on pace to exceed the fiscal year goal of 30,000.
- Floresta is developing partnerships with 7 local churches to enhance the effectiveness of our outreach and equip the local churches to be more relevant in addressing the needs of the people.
Haiti Summary:
Communities – 35 |
Trees planted this quarter – 10,261 |
Co-ops to date – 35 |
Total trees planted to date – 210,745 |
Cooperatives receiving Floresta credit – 25 |
Compost piles to date – 2,385 |
Loans this quarter – 42 |
Total loans to date – 2,712 |
|
