Economic Growth Haiti Project #20505

Creating sustainable jobs & clean burning biochar

by BonZeb, Inc

Project Report | Jun 15, 2024
Moving forward with plantation

By Tom Stein | President

Sugar cane stalks

It has been a productive spring on the farm in Berncao. Along with the various food crops we have added, ie. pistachios, peanusts, tapioca, congo beans and sweet potatoes, we have now started a sugar cane plantation. These crops not only help our workers with the potential for extra income, but also a more rounded caloric intact. With more food sources the general helath of the community also increases.

These are very important outcomes of our work and ministry. We continue to work with the locals to perfect the kiln operation and the consistancy of the end product.

Your assistance is always appreciated and we are grateful for your generous support.

Moving forward we are continuing to develop a tree nursery that will allow us to start the reforestation process in the coming months. Adding trees to the barren hillside with offer additional benefits to the local community and help imporve the soil for further crop development.

Please consider increasing your support for BonZeb and its work. Help us make 2024 an even more productive year.

Thank you.

Planting the cane

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Mar 1, 2024
Our mission keeps growing

By Tom Stein | President

Oxen team at work

The news out of Haiti has not been encouraging for a while. The gang violence and political situation has been very challenging. Bur BonZeb continues to strive to improve the lives of those we serve.

Even with the temporary stoppage at the Help4Haiti BonZeb farm in Leveque we have been able to add jobs to our efforts in Bernaco and Boucanitste.

We have a small team working on our kiln and converting our feedstock into charcoal. This has been a long process, and the learning curve is hindered a bit by the lack of a few parts to our kiln. The last shipment of donations, tools and school supplies is stranded in Port au Prince due to roadblocks and gang activity that makes it too risky to have our team move them. The workers are doing their best in our absence to learn how to gauge the heat and baking time for the conversion, but they are making excellent progress. We are looking forward to the next dry season to do more batches. We are also in need of a mixer and briquetter to complete the process of turning the charcoal into briquettes that will be used for cooking and boiling water.

Our scholarship students are in school in Hinche, Cap Haitien, Gonaives and Les Cayes. They attend their classes and are progressing in their studies.

We have over 50 local farmers in Bernaco using our oxen team and plow on their own farms and the result of this effort is the need now for a second plow for our neighbors in Boucantiste.

We have also introduced new crops to the area in an effort to help teach farming techniques to the locals. These crops include congo beans, peanuts, pistachios, and sweet potatoes.

Recently we have been exploring using a portion of our land in Bernaco to start a tree nursery. The plan is to start with 1,000 seedlings this year and plant the samplings early next year. We plan to grow 500 forest trees and 500 fruit trees. The fruit trees are necessary to help with the nutritional needs of hundreds of families and also a way for them to make more income at the local markets. We hope that next year with help from donors like you to plant an additional 4,000 trees.

All our efforts in job creation, community development, education, reforestation, clean energy and agriculture are made possible by your generous support. Thank you.

Kiln in operation

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Nov 8, 2023
Good News

By Tom Stein | President

Prayer for Haiti

Good afternoon.

Thank you for your support for our mission in Haiti. BonZeb continues to strive to create a better life for those who are impacted by our ministry.

Hundreds are being impacted and the community continues to make a little progress in creating a safe environment for families. There is a lot of bad news coming out about the gangs, the violence, etc., but those near our works in Bernaco and Boucantiste do not live in fear. They live in trust that God's plan will be fulfilled.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

Please consider a gift today to help us help them.

Thank you.

Tom

Thank you for joining us in praying for Haiti this morning. Our Friday morning prayer continues. Please join us each Friday morning at 9:00am and say a short prayer for all those living and working in Haiti.

This week I wanted to share with you some good news from our team. The families of our two leaders have settled into their new towns and their children are in school once again. While talking with our farm manager this morning I notice a hint of joy in his voice and when I mentioned it to him he said that he is at peace now. For months he has been burdened with with anxiety and stress because of the situation and how it was impacting his family. Now that they are in a safer area he is much more relaxed and less stressed by what is happening in his beloved Haiti.

This conversation got me to thinking about the stages of development. Safety or the feeling of safety is a lynchpin that allows us to move forward in our daily lives. For many years I taught this progression of development to youth, young adults, parents and teachers. Creating a sense of security and safety is the first step in building a relationship, a team, or a community. Without a sense of safety we are usually unwilling to step forward, to volunteer, to leave our comfort zone. Whenever we encounter a new situation, i.e., a new job, a new class, a new boss, a new teacher, as new team, or anything new anything, our first reaction is to withdraw a little bit, simple because we feel insecure. The list of 'what ifs' is endless. What if the don't like me? What if my answer is wrong? What if? What if? What if? We all have the fear of rejection and failure. As we age we experience a lot of fears and learn that we can face them and move forward.

But, what if you lived somewhere where it was much more difficult to find basic physical safety, emotional safety or mental safety? Where would you turn to find peace?

Fanfan and Anaxe have long found a sense of peace from their trust in God and His holy word. They have found it in the work that they do leading others whether in farming or ministry. They have found even more peace with the answer to prayer that have placed them physically in an area that is in itself more peaceful. With that peace, that safety, that security, they are now ready to put more positive energy to their work and their ministry.

We thank God that they are in a better space and their families are safe. Thank you for your prayers. Please join us again next Friday at 9:00am to pray for Haiti.

Your prayers and financial support mean so much to us and to those we serve.

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