On this day, just two short years ago, tragedy struck and turned Haiti’s world upside down.  The impact of the earthquake on January 12, 2010 reverberated deeply throughout the country – forever changing each Haitian’s life.  More than just homes and office buildings were destroyed.  Over 300,000 lives were lost.  Each of these 200,000 had a name and a face.  They left behind sons, daughters, siblings, friends and loved ones to mourn their loss. 

 

We knew then that much like the aftershocks that continued to shake the ground for weeks following the quake - there would be several significant “shocks” that would rattle the already weary nation.  The work to rebuild would be difficult and would necessitate a long-term vision.  Rubble removal was slow and cumbersome, forming a team of international donors and government officials to oversee the millions of dollars in aid has been sluggish and ill-effective at best, long-term housing solutions continue to be a concern for the thousands that remain in tent cities and cholera arrived unexpectedly.  It swept through the city and countryside - taking nearly 7,000 lives and infecting over half a million individuals to date.

 

Amidst all of these trials, local Haitians are beginning to ask “Vè ki lè?”, or around what time [will the change come]?  Two years of talk and slow-progress.  The time is now and the Lambi Fund of Haiti is working with our partners to build a stronger foundation in Haiti from the ground up.

 

In order to make this call for progress a reality, several calculated strategies are in order:

1. Continue to expand rural agriculture and increase local food production.  Lambi Fund currently has 17 projects ranging from goat breeding to community farming microcredits to grain storage underway in efforts to strengthen crop outputs and local food systems in Haiti.
2. Provide technical training and capacity building to grassroots organizations so that they gain the skills needed to successfully and sustainably manage the business enterprises they are launching.
3. Build latrines and rainwater cisterns in rural communities to help stem the flow of cholera while advocating for a comprehensive and improved water management system.
4. Hire new staff and attend trainings from specialists in the field to enhance Lambi Fund’s core capacity in order to amplify programs and to work in partnership with communities on a more comprehensive and penetrating level.
5. Bring human rights to the forefront of rebuilding.  The right to shelter, food and fair wages need to be prioritized.  Once there is a respect for people’s needs, we as a global community can more effectively mobilize to deliver results.
6. Let the people of Haiti dictate their own future.  Give a voice to the poor majority and provide leaders of rural communities with opportunities for active participation in the decision-making and priority setting process for rebuilding Haiti.

These are not pie in the sky objectives.  These are obtainable goals that can be achieved through strategic partnerships and empowerment of the people.  While it may seem like a longshot to dream of equal rights and improved livelihoods for the many living in poverty, we at Lambi Fund live the hope.  We live to see people struggling make it.  We live to see that everyone has a fighting chance – that those who are down and out can one day sustain themselves.

 

The people of Haiti are strong and are carrying this immense struggle gracefully.  I urge you to stand up and stand with the people of Haiti: Advocate for the rights of all Haitians and demand that their voices are heard.   You can join Lambi Fund in helping to build a better tomorrow – this is the way to honor the loved ones lost.  Let hopes soar and Haiti rise again.  The time is now.

In remembrance of our beloved brothers and sisters,

 

Marie Marthe Saint Cyr

Executive Director

Deforestation and Rainfall, A Costly Combination:

Flooding Sweeps through the South

In October of 2011, the Lambi Fund of Haiti's board and staff members planned to spend three days in Southern Haiti to visit grain mills, sheep farming and ox-plowing projects. The plan was to stay in Les Cayes and travel daily to different project sites located in neighboring rural communities.

Unrelenting rains offered visitors a unique opportunity to understand how accelerated deforestation affects the realities of partner communities and Lambi Fund staff.

The first site visit to The Organization of Good Samaritans (OBS) was a suspense-filled journey as board and staff traveled on flooded roads, apprehensively watching the water levels rise as they moved further inland. The visit to this thriving grain mill (first funded by Lambi Fund eight years ago) had to be curtailed because of the risk posed by rapidly rising waters.

Staying in Les Cayes, a town of about 100,000 citizens, did not prove more comforting. Following three days of steady rainfall, cresting rivers and swollen ravines flooded the city and its surrounding rural communities.

Waist high flood waters in both rural and urban areas drove home the point that deforestation impacts Haitians on a regular basis. For Lambi Fund staff, especially the regional coordinators, visits to project sites have become increasingly risky propositions, particularly during the rainy season. Roads become impassable at a moment's notice, and journeys quickly turn life-threatening for staff traveling by car or motor bike.

So how does deforestation impact flooding? While statistics vary, most agree that tree cutting has reduced Haiti's tree coverage from 1-4%. The resulting erosion of Haiti's mountains has destroyed an estimated two-thirds of the country's fertile farmland. This loss of trees has meant that arable soil, anchored to the land by their roots, is quickly washed away during the rainy season.

Consequently, without any soil and roots to hold water, a normal amount of water are not absorbed. As such, rainy seasons have turned Haiti into a landscape of overflowing rivers - carrying with them valuable top soil and causing immeasurable damage.

While the world holds its breath when forecasted hurricanes approach Haiti, not much attention is paid to the impact of the rainy season on farming communities.

For Lambi Fund's partners, deforestation has transformed the rainy season from a much awaited source of irrigation to a season fraught with danger, one engendering unanticipated losses and devastation.

This was witnessed in the recent visit to the South, where some organizations lost 50% of their crops and about 80% of pastures for sheep were destroyed. This means that farmers, who accessed credit from the community-run mutual credit funds, will experience great hardships. Their repayment plans often hinge on the anticipated sale of crops. Meanwhile, sheep growers' profitability is jeopardized since they will be forced to reinvest in the purchase and preparation of animal feed.

As this vulnerability becomes more apparent, appreciation for Lambi Fund's reforestation efforts has grown. Partners have responded by participating enthusiastically in training workshops offered on reforestation and seedling cultivation. Members of organizations work collectively to build nurseries, care for seedlings, and replant young trees on their lands and in vulnerable watershed areas.

For the past ten years, Lambi Fund has been steadfast in its comprehensive, grassroots-driven reforestation efforts.

In addition to including a reforestation component in all funded projects, Lambi Fund has incorporated environmentally safe practices in other programmatic activities, most notably animal husbandry. Free grazing has been identified as a significant cause of deforestation and environmental degradation, particularly when goats and sheep are allowed to feed on young trees and seedlings. As a result, all Lambi Fund supported animal husbandry projects build enclosures where animals are kept. The offered workshops show farmers how to grow and preserve the forage needed to keep their animals wellfed and healthy even during the dry season.

Over the course of 10 years, Lambi Fund partners have prepared over 1.5 million seedlings and have planted 1.2 million tree saplings. It is estimated that 60% of these trees survive, meaning that about 720,000 trees have matured in communities throughout Haiti. Lambi Fund also has plans to hire an agronomist with expertise in agro-forestry who will oversee all reforestation projects. In addition, staff members are exploring the use of grassroots-friendly GPS technology to better document the impact of Lambi Fund's reforestation projects. Mapping reforestation progress will better allow Lambi Fund to see the strengths and weakness regarding tree planting efforts – allowing staff to enforce and adapt strategies as needed.

In spite of the daunting challenges presented to farmers by deforestation, they are not losing hope. Clermont Yogane Enold, a twenty-something farmer of the Association of Youth from Tet-Kole Bedo, summarized it most eloquently. When asked what they would do to address the losses sustained in the floods he replied: "We cannot give into despair, we will work the land, plant trees and grow our crops once again…."

Read more from Lambi Fund's Fall Newsletter here.

FAMAB MEMBERS VISIT LAMBI FUND’S OFFICE 

Early on August 28, 2010 the Lambi Fund staff was greeted with 54 members of FAMAB (The Organization of Brave Women) who dropped by for a special visit.  It should be noted that Lambi Fund's office is quite small and it was a packed house!    


Members of the organization arrived at our office in Bois Verna around 10 am and informed us that their visit had 3 main objectives:


First, they came to wish Josette (the Haiti Director) a speedy recovery since they had learned that she was dealing with some health issues. The visit was one of solidarity with Josette to express their love and their support to her in her time of need. They prayed and sang for her speedy recovery.

·         Second, the purpose of the visit was to say thank you and express their gratitude for the fact that almost a year ago, in the aftermath of the earthquake, the Lambi Fund of Haiti helped 100 of its members (Emergency grants were provided to the women of FAMAB). This support enabled the women to recapitalize their small businesses and pay the fees needed to send their children to school.  The women also took the opportunity to give a verbal report about how the emergency assistance had helped them and how they were doing today (they have already submitted a written report).

·         Third, they wanted to request a loan because their members’ financial situation was critical especially before the schools reopen.

MEMBER PROFILE

We must note that 10 out of the 54 women who came to visit were elderly women, who in spite of their advanced years are still conducting vending activities.  

There were also 35 women who were relatively young and who were also small vendors. The cost of their supplies has increased and their profit has decreased considerably.

9 members of the organization were very young and are now attending school (computer, cosmetology, and secondary school), but in order to pay for their classes they have also gotten involved in vending activities. These young women have become very active and are revitalizing the organization.

UPDATE

During the visit, FAMAB members who benefited from the post-earthquake emergency grant thanked Lambi Fund for the support provided to 100 of its members. They shared with us what a tremendous life saver the grant had been. They also informed us that there are only 20 members still living in a camp in the Bel-Air neighborhood.  

Deputy Director, Leonie Hermantin, braces for the storm...

Since I live in Miami, I am quite accustomed to the "frenzy"before the storm.... We rush to get water, canned goods, candles etc.. I am in Haiti today, and while the president and his team have been encouraging folks to get ready, there seems to be total lack of interest in or fear of  the impending storm... This morning I asked my waiter if he was getting ready for Emily and he asked if that was the lady sitting at the next table. When I specified what that was, he just shrugged and stated that he was not too worried... Same sentiments at the office. The camp dwellers were told to seek shelter (where?) cut down tree limbs or tie down the tents... Mark Schuller tells me that while they are aware of the storm, they just don't have the material needed to protect themselves.

At the hotel, no one has told me anything about the storm, no contingency plan...evacuation plan... NADA... Meanwhile, like a good Miami resident, I am leaving work a bit early and I am getting my water, canned goods, candles and ice cream....

Read more about the fast approaching tropical storm here.

Happy July!  July means the days are longer, the nights warmer…and that it’s time once again for Lambi Fund’s July Giving Challenge..  For the entire month of July, the SG Foundation will match every $1 donated up to $10,000.

This is an unbeatable opportunity to choose from one of the Lambi Fund of Haiti’s many programs working to rebuild and you can double your impact.

Worried about stemming the spread of cholera?

Provide clean water in rural communities throughout Haiti by supporting the construction of rainwater cisterns.  (Learn how the rainy season is dramatically increasing the rate of infections here).

Interested in supporting local food security?

Start a tool bank and help rural communities throughout Haiti expand crop yields.

Want to support the creation of local businesses in Haiti?

Launch a community microcredit fund and provide women with the credit needed to purchase goods and supplies for small business enterprises.

Let’s rise to the challenge and make more of an impact than ever in Haiti!  For the entire month of July, $1 really equals $2.  Tell your friends and family and together we can surpass July’s Giving Challenge.  Donate now!

To good health and a happy summer,

Marie Marthe Saint Cyr

Executive Director

THOUGHTS ON HAITI

The world is visibly smaller while remaining more unequal, with less parity and greater inequity.  We communicate in megabytes and sound bites in one sequence of events.  These repeated patterns from the political, social, economic to the recreational arena are making learning a challenge or we can say they are challenging the methodologies and processes of learning as we know it.  It has become essential to be not just a student but an evolving student of the world, shaping plans, selecting approaches and creating adapted strategies to conform and progress in a dynamically evolving environment.  Our world requires an extreme capacity for mélange, extraction and blending, thus an unusual creative ability to adjust and progress at the same time.

The invitation to the Festival of ideas and art has been for me a renewal of reflection in arenas that have been the focus of my activities for the last three years.  Prior to the earthquake of January 12^th , 2010,  I pondered on this question:  How can I have such affinity to a place, a people, living condition a style of thinking while feeling that my contribution is so limited. Even when I knew the interdependence of the world makes it such that no one individual is responsible for change, I feel challenged to find myself in the chain of change. 

While this is sharing an individual reflection, it is all about Haiti. It is the pervasive need to be integrated: the blending of belonging, obligation, duty and choice; all reminders that the ties are infinitesimally interdependent.  The question becomes can Haiti change without, you (reader), me (citizen), the diaspora (disillusioned Citizenry) and outsiders, foreigners often more integrated in the internal affairs of the Country.

At times, I even ask can we be a nation despite our grand history.  Can the diaspora become content and contained and support the internal practices that can create change rather than interpose the creativity that they have harnessed to adapt to their new milieu?  Because I have created a framework that contains both my cultural source, my music, my colorful perspectives and survived in another land, is that strategy importable or transportable to Haiti? And will it lead to critical change?  In the same way, I can ask can we import food from outside just because some market is subsidizing it and abandon our own ability to feed our people even more nutritiously.

A small group who has taken seriously the notion of grass roots as a core for innovation and creative adaptability, called the Lambi Fund attracted my attention with an approach, a methodology and strategies that are grass root driven, with local planning and local visioning in a partnership that is clad in parity, respectful of self-determination and  mutual respect.   Grass root meaning the population of Haitians in rural areas, those who are often denied their rights and remain afloat by their own efforts; they, in essence, have survived. 

At the core of reconstruction, changing Haiti is about:  Integration, Decentralization, Infrastructure development within a framework of renewal and protection of the environment; broadened advocacy through formal education,  civic education and strategic partnerships for sustainable change.

Haiti has become a nation of projects.  Out of diplomacy into reality, Can any of these projects be sustainable without a National Plan for Haiti with capable an efficient leadership?

Marie Marthe Saint Cyr

Executive Director   

A father is...

The days are longer, nights warmer and summer is here!  This year Father's Day is June 19th - an especially important day for everyone at the Lambi Fund of Haiti.  It's a day to honor all of the strong fathers, grandfathers and men in our lives.

Thank your dad for the many great
life lessons he has taught you!

Since the earthquake, Lambi Fund has worked hand-in-hand with thousands of great fathers who have worked to provide for their families and to rebuild their communities.  This daily display of resilience and humble generosity has been a constant inspiration to Lambi Fund.

Honor the special men in your life by helping fathers throughout Haiti build a strong future for their sons and daughters.

Make a donation in his honor and help farmers plant more crops and increase food supply by providing organic seeds, starting a community tool bank, or purchasing an ox-plow.

Or provide local fishermen with the chance to catch more fish bypurchasing new fishing equipment and larger nets.

Each and every one of these gifts is accompanied with training on things like organic farming, sustainable fishing practices and organizational management.

Thank your father for everything he has taught you by providing fathers throughout Haiti with the opportunity for training, sustainable incomes, and a bright future.

 

To our Fathers,

Marie Marthe Saint Cyr

Executive Director

Click here to print out a special Father's Day Card available in English or Kreyol.