November 15, 2024
Dear Prince of Peace Congregation,
Monday, our national news highlighted Haiti's political instability with the transitionary council's removal of Prime Minister Garry Connille. Garry Conille was Prime Minister for 6 months. A new Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, a businessman who was previously considered for the position has been elected by the council. The political turmoil has increased gang violence in Haiti's capital where the international airport is located. On Monday, 3 commercial airline planes were damaged by gunfire from gangs. The violence has forced the international airport to shut down and all airlines have suspended flights to/from Haiti until further notice. This includes flights to/from Cap Haitien, located in northern Haiti. Once again, Haiti is held hostage by the gangs.
Thursday morning, I received an update from our partner at Chemen Lavi Miyo (CLM) regarding the overall socio-economic situation and an update on the 104 families, we are sponsoring with our supporters. The update begins with:
The situation in Pòtoprens and Haiti continue to seem relatively stable through the end of the quarter. With the exception of one serious recent gang attack on Ponsonde, a commune well west of the project area, most days are more or-less predictable, at least for those of us working in the Central Plateau. Gangs still control areas of Pòtoprens, and circulation between the capital and areas to its north remained possible.
Fonkoze's bank has been able to make cash accessible fairly consistently, at least in the Central Plateau, where this project is ongoing.
This provides hope and a bit of relief with the understanding that the reported violence occurring in the capital affects the entire country and each day brings different challenges "Beyond Mountains - More Mountains".
Late Thursday, I received an email providing a real-time update. The main road from Port-au- Prince and the Central Plateau has been closed by the gangs. My heart sank. Having traveled to Haiti multiple times (before COVID), I know this road. It is the main artery for transporting food, services, and people to/from the north. This closure can have a devastating impact. With limited access to main routes, farmers cannot get food to other areas, causing food prices to skyrocket and create more shortages. The inability to move around and transport goods causes economic paralysis. I would not be truthful if I said that I don't worry. I do. We have seen this happen and they work through it.
*****************************************************************************
The unwavering spirit of the women and families empowered by CLM is a testament to their extraordinary resilience; they will undoubtedly continue to 'find a way' in the face of adversity. HTF envisions a future where this relentless struggle for survival transforms into a journey of thriving and flourishing, where the need for grit diminishes, and instead, they can consistently embrace opportunities with open arms. This aspiration fuels our commitment to creating sustainable change, allowing these remarkable individuals to live with dignity and hope, free from the burdens of hardship. Together, we can pave the way for a brighter tomorrow, where empowerment is not just a battle but a celebration of success and self-sufficiency.
Dear Prince of Peace Congregation,
Monday, our national news highlighted Haiti's political instability with the transitionary council's removal of Prime Minister Garry Connille. Garry Conille was Prime Minister for 6 months. A new Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, a businessman who was previously considered for the position has been elected by the council. The political turmoil has increased gang violence in Haiti's capital where the international airport is located. On Monday, 3 commercial airline planes were damaged by gunfire from gangs. The violence has forced the international airport to shut down and all airlines have suspended flights to/from Haiti until further notice. This includes flights to/from Cap Haitien, located in northern Haiti. Once again, Haiti is held hostage by the gangs.
Thursday morning, I received an update from our partner at Chemen Lavi Miyo (CLM) regarding the overall socio-economic situation and an update on the 104 families, we are sponsoring with our supporters. The update begins with:
The situation in Pòtoprens and Haiti continue to seem relatively stable through the end of the quarter. With the exception of one serious recent gang attack on Ponsonde, a commune well west of the project area, most days are more or-less predictable, at least for those of us working in the Central Plateau. Gangs still control areas of Pòtoprens, and circulation between the capital and areas to its north remained possible.
Fonkoze's bank has been able to make cash accessible fairly consistently, at least in the Central Plateau, where this project is ongoing.
This provides hope and a bit of relief with the understanding that the reported violence occurring in the capital affects the entire country and each day brings different challenges "Beyond Mountains - More Mountains".
Late Thursday, I received an email providing a real-time update. The main road from Port-au- Prince and the Central Plateau has been closed by the gangs. My heart sank. Having traveled to Haiti multiple times (before COVID), I know this road. It is the main artery for transporting food, services, and people to/from the north. This closure can have a devastating impact. With limited access to main routes, farmers cannot get food to other areas, causing food prices to skyrocket and create more shortages. The inability to move around and transport goods causes economic paralysis. I would not be truthful if I said that I don't worry. I do. We have seen this happen and they work through it.
*****************************************************************************
The unwavering spirit of the women and families empowered by CLM is a testament to their extraordinary resilience; they will undoubtedly continue to 'find a way' in the face of adversity. HTF envisions a future where this relentless struggle for survival transforms into a journey of thriving and flourishing, where the need for grit diminishes, and instead, they can consistently embrace opportunities with open arms. This aspiration fuels our commitment to creating sustainable change, allowing these remarkable individuals to live with dignity and hope, free from the burdens of hardship. Together, we can pave the way for a brighter tomorrow, where empowerment is not just a battle but a celebration of success and self-sufficiency.
Lucienne lives with her husband and their four children in a house in Nan Lagon, a neighborhood just a short walk from the center of Gwo Moulen. She joined the CLM program in April. The photo is her with her oldest daughter.
Entering the CLM program, she did not have any livestock. She used the investment funds that CLM provided to buy livestock. She was able to buy two goats and a small collection of poultry. There was enough left over to buy a piglet, though she had to take one that has not yet been weaned. It made it cheaper, but it means that it will take more time for it to start producing for her.
She likes having livestock because she says it gives her a way to take care of a problem if one comes up. “If one of my kids or my husband needs money for something, I can sell an animal.”
Entering the CLM program, she did not have any livestock. She used the investment funds that CLM provided to buy livestock. She was able to buy two goats and a small collection of poultry. There was enough left over to buy a piglet, though she had to take one that has not yet been weaned. It made it cheaper, but it means that it will take more time for it to start producing for her.
She likes having livestock because she says it gives her a way to take care of a problem if one comes up. “If one of my kids or my husband needs money for something, I can sell an animal.”
Meet CLM member Clenie. Clenie’s home is just across central Gwo Moulen from Lucienne’s. She and her husband live with their youngest son and a granddaughter. Her husband, Lucien, farms, both their land and sometimes for their neighbors, and Clenie manages a small commerce.
A small commerce in Gwo Moulen usually means hiking down to the market in Laskawobas and up again. Clenie buys beans or corn. Sometimes charcoal for cooking. She can take loads down the hill thanks to a mule that she bought with a loan that she got from the local credit union.
Having the mule makes a big difference. Clenie explains that, in Gwo Moulen, “if you don’t have a pack animal, you have to work to buy one.” It is hard to build a livelihood without one because the main markets are not close by. But in the dry season, things are even worse. Fetching all the water that a family needs can become an all-day proposition without an animal that can carry multiple jugs each trip to the spring.
Without assets other than her mule and with little investment in her small commerce, Clenie qualified for the CLM team’s Extreme Poor (EP) program, a new approach for families wealthier than those who qualify for its traditional ultra poor program but who might be at risk of falling into ultra-poverty. She received funds to invest in her business, some coaching, and membership in a VSLA.
Prince of Peace, your investment is helping women in the CLM program. With your help, HTF is currently sponsoring 108 CLM families. THANK YOU for your investment to empower women in Haiti! YOU are cultivating hope-transforming lives!
With gratitude for your partnership,
A small commerce in Gwo Moulen usually means hiking down to the market in Laskawobas and up again. Clenie buys beans or corn. Sometimes charcoal for cooking. She can take loads down the hill thanks to a mule that she bought with a loan that she got from the local credit union.
Having the mule makes a big difference. Clenie explains that, in Gwo Moulen, “if you don’t have a pack animal, you have to work to buy one.” It is hard to build a livelihood without one because the main markets are not close by. But in the dry season, things are even worse. Fetching all the water that a family needs can become an all-day proposition without an animal that can carry multiple jugs each trip to the spring.
Without assets other than her mule and with little investment in her small commerce, Clenie qualified for the CLM team’s Extreme Poor (EP) program, a new approach for families wealthier than those who qualify for its traditional ultra poor program but who might be at risk of falling into ultra-poverty. She received funds to invest in her business, some coaching, and membership in a VSLA.
Prince of Peace, your investment is helping women in the CLM program. With your help, HTF is currently sponsoring 108 CLM families. THANK YOU for your investment to empower women in Haiti! YOU are cultivating hope-transforming lives!
With gratitude for your partnership,
Executive Director
Prince of Peace invites you to learn more about the Haitian Timoun Foundation and how you can support their mission at: https://www.htflive.org/
