Disaster Response Haiti Project #25604

Creating Local Jobs in Southern Haiti

by Peace Winds America

Project Report | Feb 27, 2024
Livelihoods for Fishermen in Southern Haiti

By Sarah Maraschky | Communications Associate

Fishing collective group members

In February 2024, Peace Winds began a new program to support livelihoods for a group of fishermen in Saint-Jean-du-Sud, southern Haiti. An estimated 300-500 people make a living from fishing along Haiti’s southern coast. The job is not easy; fishermen typically work seven days a week trading shifts in a small wooden fishing boat designed to hold up to five people. They use nets, fishing line, or bamboo traps to catch fish by hand, and their wives typically sell the catch at local markets. However, the practice has become more difficult as a result of natural disasters and humanitarian crises in recent years.

For the current program, Peace Winds is partnering with APEDESUD (Association des Pêcheurs de la Deuxième Section de Saint du Sud), a cooperative established in 2013 to advance the livelihoods of fishermen. Currently, the group consists of 70 men and women whose lives were severely affected by Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Haiti’s major earthquake in 2021. APEDESUD suffered catastrophic losses in these natural disasters, including the destruction of fishing gear and a blow to profits. The group used to earn about $500 a month; this has now dropped to about $20 a month.

Another barrier to APEDESUD’s ability to maintain a steady income is its lack of organizational structure. Peace Winds is working with the group to improve its seafood processing capabilities, diversify its products, and transport more fresh seafood to markets throughout the area. The goal is that the cooperative will be better able to protect the livelihoods of its members and more resilient in the face of future disasters.

Over the next year, Peace Winds will help APEDESUD achieve its goals in three stages. The first is to prepare everything the group needs to be successful; this includes providing fishing gear, boats, and a processing site. The second step is to provide training for the group’s members. This will not only help them improve their technical skills but also establish an organizational structure for the group. Finally, Peace Winds will provide training in seafood processing techniques, sales, and marketing. Group members will be better equipped to sell their products at local markets and maintain a steady income.

Peace Winds looks forward to bringing more updates about this project as we are able. Our current work in Haiti is funded by the Kuraray Company as well as by contributions from individual donors. We thank you for your continued support.

Fishermen and fishing boat

Typical Haitian fishing boat and oar

Seafood catch

Fishermen's wives

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Jan 9, 2024
Empowering Women and Youth in Southern Haiti

By Sarah Maraschky | Communications Associate

Sewing students, instructor, and sample fabric

Despite the difficult security situation in Haiti, Peace Winds continues operating a multi-year livelihoods program in Les Cayes in the Sud (the southern department) to help women build businesses. Over the last two years, Peace Winds has supported a women’s group, NAPB (Nouvelle Association Paysanne de Balix = New Farmers Association of Balix) in operating a cashew and peanut processing program, training community members in making roast nuts and peanut butter for sale. Cashew and peanut products are an important commodity in Haiti. This makes them a great tool for people in need to build business skills and support their families.

Trainees of the cashew and peanut processing program attended courses at Peace Winds’ community centers where they learned how to harvest, process, and package the nuts. They also received business training, learning how to make one-year, two-year, and three-year business plans. The women study marketing and sales while practicing skills such as designing their own labels and selling their products at local markets.

As part of their marketing efforts, NAPB members created Facebook and Instagram pages to promote their work. Check them out by clicking the links!

Additionally, in 2023, Peace Winds supported a vocational training program in sewing for youth in Arniquet Commune. Students learned about sewing theory, textile design, and practiced hands-on sewing techniques. Additionally, training courses taught students skills and best practices in entrepreneurship, career-planning, and marketing.

Peace Winds looks forward to continuing our programming in 2024. Beginning in February 2024, our teams in Haiti will support livelihood activities for fishermen in the Sud. We look forward to reporting project updates after the program begins. Our work in Haiti is funded by the Kuraray Company in Japan as well as by contributions from individual donors. We thank you for your continued support which makes our work possible, and we look forward to continuing to support the people of Haiti.

Sewing students after a training course

Jasmine, a sewing student in Arniquet

Women's group members sell cashews at local market

Links:

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Aug 3, 2023
Supporting Haiti Amid Dangerous Security Situation

By Wayne Nissly | CEO

Sewing class participants and instructors

The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 precipitated the chaos, as the nation's government never recovered from the shock to its leadership. Gangs have taken over a vast majority of Port au Prince's street geography, making crime and chaos rampant and prompting more than 165,00 Haitians to abandon their homeland, according to a United Nations report last month. Some Haitians seeking safety and order have camped out next to the U.S. Embassy in Port au Prince.

"Gang attacks, extrajudicial killings, kidnappings and gender-based violence have become part of the daily lives of Haitians, forcing locals to flee their homes," the U.N. said in June.

Haiti has also been ravaged this century by two devastating earthquakes — including one shortly after Moïse's assassination — and has struggled with political chaos, violence, and poverty.

Several years ago, Peace Winds built a total of 14 community centers in three municipalities in southern Haiti, and these centers continue to support citizens today. Each has a management committee that organizes activities there which are aimed at providing livelihood opportunities for local community groups. Activities include vocational training in topics such as sewing, pastry-making, plumbing, construction, and agriculture.

One of Peace Winds’ most successful programs at the community center in Balix, Saint Jean du Sud, is a cashew nut processing course for a women’s group. Cashews are an important local commodity, and Peace Winds has set up a processing area in the community center where women learn to shell, clean, dry, roast, and package their product. Participants also receive education in marketing so that they can create labels and packaging and sell the products at local markets.

In addition to supporting women, Peace Winds is pursuing an opportunity to support Haitian youth in Arniquet, Taverne, and Chantal in the Southern Department. School dropout rates are high, leaving many teenagers vulnerable to gang recruitment, crime, and drug use. Peace Winds hopes to develop a vocational training program for these young community members, helping them stay in school and build careers that will be beneficial to themselves and the community.

Sewing class participants and instructor

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