Updates from Petit Trou & Port-au-Prince

Dear Friends,

I write with an update on the very real progress that your support is fueling in Petit Trou de Nippes. Below you'll find snapshots, notes, and success stories from the community leaders we so deeply believe in.

At the bottom of this post I share a few links describing the current state of affairs in Haiti more broadly. To grasp just how important your partnership is, it’s important that we reflect on the larger context it's occurring in.

Progress in Petit Trou

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Thanks to your support of our year-end Impact Gift campaign, our first ever photography workshop is currently taking place with our girls' empowerment group. We can't wait to share photos directly from these young photographers in training.

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An expansion of the agriculture program at St. Paul's School is well underway. This new wall and well will allow for a doubling of the size of our vegetable garden, improved irrigation, and expanded moringa and lime tree groves, these producing nutrition for our students and revenue for the school.

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Mardi Gras at St. Paul's School! Mrs. Genevieve, director of the early childhood education program at St. Paul’s, is shown here celebrating with her class.

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Nurse Dorceley and Agronomist Raphael, shown here, are working on the next phase of a food security initiative that is allowing community health workers to serve as key resources, improving nutritional outcomes via better crop yields.

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These young ladies, with support from their mentors, are piloting a local soap making initiative, an effort that helps communities stay healthy while supporting small business development and economic growth.

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Welcome to new staff, Valentina and Arsheley, shown here with Patrick! Arsheley (right) is from Petit Trou and is the new accountant working with the girls’ empowerment, community health, and community-based agricultural programs. Valentina (left) is based in Port-au-Prince but will be spending lots of time in Petit Trou, supporting our local team with continuing education, capacity building, and leadership development.

National Update

As you may have seen, the political and security situation in Port-au-Prince and much of Haiti is discouraging. NY Times, BBC, and NPR pieces in the past week have all described a constitutional crisis exacerbating a very dangerous security situation. In addition, the Times has expressed great concern around recent deportations to Haiti.

I feel these updates lead to two conclusions:

  1. Haiti needs our support, partnership, and investment more than ever.

  2. A long-term commitment to investing directly in rural community leaders is fundamental if Haiti is to break free from the historical and environmental forces that keep so many in poverty. If leaders like the ones we humbly support have the resources they need to fight for progress, then families in Petit Trou will thrive. If places like Petit Trou can thrive, Haiti will thrive.

Thank you for continuing to stand with Haiti. Please know you are making a real difference.

Warmly and with gratitude,
Wynn

P.S. We look forward to sharing exciting news and updates with you soon, including details for this year’s Evening for Haiti and the announcement of the 2021 Ted Lewis Award recipients!

Wynn Walent