Creating sustainable jobs & clean burning biochar

Good afternoon.

As we come to the end of January and the end of the rainy season in Haiti, irrigation is a top priority for our local farmsers. Out water pump, which is used by dozens of families is in need of minor repair.These parts and shipping will cost approx. $400. These parts with allow us to pump water straight from the river and over a quarter mile into the fields. Without the pump the families we assist will return to the old methos of using whatever they have that can hold water; ie: pots, pans, cups, bottles, and buckets, to carry the water up from the river. This means that the children will be occupied with this task and not have the time to attend school. Delays like this often force children the fall behind and it can take extra years to obtain a 5th grade education.

As I mentioned above the rainy season has come to an end and it is now time to harvest the grass and begin operating the kiln that converts it to charcoal. To do this the grass must be dry. Too much moisture cause the torriciation to take longer and effects the quality of the charcoal. During the last test run the workers, with the help of the thermastat that we were able to send in the fall, they had their first batch of useable charcoal stems. Our hope now is that this team will be able to improve the process as they get more familiar with the kiln and how it works. They are developing their own ideas about how best to proceed, which is wonderful news for us. It means that they are beginning to take ownership of the process and have a vision for how to fulfill our mission. This stems from the leadership of our farm manger and agronoist Fanfan. His leadership has led to cooperation within our team and the communities we serve. The missing piece in this is the need to transport the cut grass from Boucantiste where the farm is, to Bernaco, where the kiln is. The government decided over the last serveral years that they would not do any upkeep on the road that goes through our farm, so vehicles not longer are able to pass through. There is about 3-4 miles of very delapidated roadway, that gets worse during the rainy season. We are planning to have members of our team work on the road and fill in the ruts with rocks from the surrounding fields. This will still we a very rough road and will be passable by foot, donkey and motorcycle. So our need is to have a team of donkeys to carry the cutting to the kiln. We have done this in the past with a team of two, but that means the they have to make two round trips a day, until there is a ton of charcoal for a test. Renting the donkeys cost money. It would be better to have 6-10 of our own. This will cost approx. $2,000.

All of this is being done to improve the lives of the local farmers, neighbors, families and communities of Bernaco and Boucantiste. Hundreds of families have benefited from our being present on their hillside. Life is not easy, the work is hard, but the people are resilent, hopeful and faithful.

Your help in becoming part of this important work and a team member in this ministry is key to its success.

Thank you for you support. Please consider becoming a monthly donor and blessing this ongoing work.

My last update was about the planting of our sugar cane fields. This process has been successful, and the seasonal rains (hurricanes) have brought much needed moisture to the crops. 

In addition to the sugar cane, we have also introduced corn to the growing list of food crops. This crop along with our fields of tapioca, sweet potatoes, peanuts, pistachios and congo beans are enabling us to teach better farming techniques and providing a variety of food for the community. 

We were also able to plant 1,000 Cacia tree saplings, which in about a year will be able to be replanting on the denuded hillsides that surround our farming operation.

Each time we introduce a new crop it creates jobs for the locals in land clearing, preparation, planting and maintaining.

We rely on the seasonal rains for crops to grow and the cycle on the island is rain in late summer and early autumn followed by months with little moisture. Then in spring a new shorter rainy season followed months of drought. That is why getting the crops in the ground during this season is so important.

Another result that we see each season is the damage to the road through our farm from Bernaco to Boucantiste. The government has stopped maintainance of this 5 mile strip of road and have instead focused efforts on a road to our east.

For this reason we are looking to create jobs after the rains by equiping the locals, once again, to make what repairs they with shovels, rakes and picks. It is hard work, but work that they will gladly accept to make tansportation a little easier.

With your help we can continue to create jobs and help the locals. The more support we receive the more we can accomplish.

Thank you for all your past, present and future support.