Fondation Limye Lavi

Limye Lavi is a Haitian organization that has been in existence since 1993. Our mission is to cultivate respect and dignity through education and collaboration-We work with all types of people without distinction. Our primary focus is on Haiti's most marginalized communities, specifically those in rural areas. We aim to increase autonomy in the communities we work with by supporting them in organizing around, and developing strategies to address, shared challenges. Primary objectives include the following: 1. Advocating for children's rights-That the role and importance of children within a community are acknowledged and respected. 2. Making Quality education available and accessi... read more Limye Lavi is a Haitian organization that has been in existence since 1993. Our mission is to cultivate respect and dignity through education and collaboration-We work with all types of people without distinction. Our primary focus is on Haiti's most marginalized communities, specifically those in rural areas. We aim to increase autonomy in the communities we work with by supporting them in organizing around, and developing strategies to address, shared challenges. Primary objectives include the following: 1. Advocating for children's rights-That the role and importance of children within a community are acknowledged and respected. 2. Making Quality education available and accessible to all children. 3. Ensuring community members neither send children to nor receive children from the restavek system (informal system of child servitude in Haiti). 4. Supporting communities to increase their economic livelihoods and living standards by boosting agricultural yields through environmentally sustainable techniques. Our work centers on three main areas: Education, Protection and Defense of Children's Rights, and Agricultural / Economic Accompaniment. 1. Education: Limye Lavi holds training and collaborative sessions for teachers and school directors, offering educators opportunities to acquire new teaching techniques and collaborate with colleagues from different communities. We also organize rural schools into networks, which can be mobilized for collective action and advocacy around children's rights. Additionally, we work to increase the availability of funding for rural schools in Haiti through a tuition matching system. The extra funding we provide schools assists them in both covering their regular and ongoing expenses, but also towards additional resources and programs such as book banks and accelerated programs for older children who did not have the opportunity to attend school when they were younger. Limye Lavi also holds seminars for adults in the community to raise parents' awareness of how they can become more effectively involved in their children's education. 2. Children's Rights: Limye Lavi is committed to defending and protecting children's rights and eliminating the restavek (child labor system) both in rural communities and at a national level. It holds educational sessions in its partner communities and assists those communities in creating committees to defend and protect those rights. 3. Agricultural/Economic Accompaniment: To help partner communities increase their agricultural production and household incomes, Limye Lavi provides ongoing training and support focused on improving agricultural techniques: enhancing technical skills related to planting, harvesting, and garden management. We've supported building rainwater catchment systems, supplying mountain communities with access to irrigation water during the dry season. We also work with community members around money management on topics such as savings and credit, while supporting community lending. Additionally, we have undertaken a series of reforestation projects to restore the natural environment. This work includes the creation of tree nurseries and an incentive program to ensure seedlings are cared for and protected years after their initial plating. At each stage of our work with partner communities, we use participatory methods such as Reflection Circles, Open Space, and Education as Conversation. Approaching our work in such ways allows community members to develop their own beliefs, listen respectfully, communicate their desires, cultivate democratic processes, and share responsibilities and leadership.