Our Work
It’s all about community involvement.
Whether it’s educating adults or children about how to replenish and care for the soil and understand climate change implications, or giving school groups hands-on practical teaching in agricultural best practices, or working with local officials to approve and site local projects, our team’s success relies on the involvement and support of the community at large.
Without local leaders, agricultural experts, and a wide variety of community members, Greening Haiti Fund would not have been able to be so productive in such a short period of time. Since 2017, we’ve been able to make great strides in revitalizing Fond-des-Blancs. (Map of villages)
GHF Climate Curriculum
Working with eight middle schools in the region, GHF agro-technicians have taught more than 500 children about how climate effects their community and their lives. They explore topics such as What is Global Climate Change? Why is Carbon Important? What is the Greenhouse Effect? What Can We Do to Protect our Environment? Top 22 Benefits of Trees. Soil Layers. Weathering and Erosion. What Else Do We Need to Find Out?
GHF Backyard Gardens and Orchards Program
This 2022 initiative will create demonstration family gardens and orchards as a community model to combat malnutrition and supplement household income. GHF has partnered with St. Boniface Hospital/Health Equity International (HEI) to determine the initial nutrition levels of participating children and subsequently conduct semiannual testing to measure the effects of the program. Our intention is to start with a small number of families who have sufficient land for both a family vegetable plot and fruit trees. Each family will be educated on agricultural best practices and supported throughout their first three years by our team of agronomists. As time and volume permit, the families will be able to sell their excess produce at market. The program’s board of advisors is currently finalizing a crop plan.
Seedling Success
With the help of community volunteers, GHF staff has been able to germinate and plant a wide variety of shade, harvesting, and fruit trees. Since, 2018, we’ve planted 122,000 viable trees utilizing over 180 farmers who own their land. The expertise of our agrotechnicians and the commitment of those who care for the trees in their own communities has resulted in an 84% viability rate for the plantings - an incredible success, given the drought!
Association pour le développement de Fond-des-blancs (ADF)
As a participating member in ADF Haiti, Greening Haiti Fund is working to create the environment and opportunities for young people to stay in Fond-des-Blancs and develop a model community upon which other communities can base their own development.
Health Equity International (formerly St. Boniface Haiti Foundation)
HEI and GHF are collaborating on The Posterity Tree Project to offer every expectant mother the opportunity to receive a tree seedling to plant on her property after the birth at St. Boniface Hospital. Potentially, this could add 3,000 trees per year to households in the region.
HEI and GHF are also working in partnership to develop a three-year research project to measure nutrition levels with the consumption of specific plant foods made available to select families through the GHF Backyard Gardens and Orchards Program (see above).
Partners in Agriculture
The nonprofit organization Partners in Agriculture will provide soil testing for the GHF Backyard Gardens and Orchards Program.
Rassemblement de Travailleurs Paysons (RATRAP)
A local farmers' collaborative with a membership of around 350, RATRAP brings its expertise and manpower to work with GHF on local projects. GHF’s agrotechnicians join industry experts to offer RATRAP members lectures and videos on topics such as methods for soil revitalization.
Village Advisors
GHF receives insights and advice from a team of 14 community advisors from across Fond-des-Blancs to evaluate agricultural needs and how best to meet them.
Land
Our very first effort was to lease several plots of land in the village of Murier/Mirye for digging wells, seedling production, and construction of our headquarters.
Water
Finding the right locations to dig the wells used the traditional method of divining. Once the locations were identified, two wells were successfully dug to provide water for the tree nursery. One of the wells boasts a solar-powered pump. Recently, GHF purchased, refurbished, and imported a water truck to ensure that GHF’s various planting sites receive an adequate and steady supply of water.
Expertise
An early GHF initiative sent our US-based land management expert, Dan McPherson, to Fond-des-Blancs to educate community members about soil erosion and revitalization. Above, Dan works alongside Clarel Jerome (Guito), maintenance manager for HEI/St. Boniface Hospital and friend of GHF, to dig the foundation for our headquarters.
Outreach
GHF takes every opportunity to gather the community and get input from residents to receive feedback on our initiatives.
Employment
GHF is currently employing a staff of seven. From agricultural production and asset protection to formal and informal education, our team is talented, dedicated, and much appreciated.
Equipment
Haiti is a rocky, mountainous terrain. Proper transportation and farming equipment is essential. Whether it’s a pickup truck, a watering truck, motorbikes or rooftop water catchment systems, the right tools make all the difference.
Greetings from
Fond-des-Blancs
Watch the video that the Greening Haiti Fund team shot on location!