Ayiti Demen

Human & Economic Development in Haiti1.Our Human & Economic Development program aims to empower the Haitian communities and contribute to the nation's sustainable growth. This multi-faceted program focuses on three key areas: supporting smallholder farmer organizations, revitalizing art, and culture through Le Centre d'Art, and investing in the development of Haiti's youth via education and sports. Ayiti Demen works with three main institutions in Haiti to accomplish its goals: the Foundation for Knowledge and Liberty (FOKAL), the arts center Le Centre dart and the youth organization, Basketball to Uplift the Youth (BAL). By empowering smallholder farmer organizations, Ayiti Demen seeks to strengthen agricultural productivity and alleviate poverty in rural communities. The program provides training, resources, and market access to these organizations, enabling them to improve their farming practices, increase their yields, and connect with potential buyers. This approach not only enhances food security but also creates employment opportunities and fosters economic resilience in rural areas. In 2022, through FOKAL, we selected six projects for their growth potential and scope in food production, water management, and infrastructure reconstruction in the southern Haiti. Hundreds of sheep, goats, oxen, and bags of organic seeds were also distributed to farmers by the beneficiary grassroots organizations. Hundreds of farmers took part in training courses offered by their organizations on improving cultivation and storage techniques and livestock management. As for arts and culture, Ayiti Demen supported the completion of architectural studies for the new Centre D'Art and provided emergency aid to artists from Noailles fleeing insecurity in Croix-des-Bouquets, thanks to two grants from the William Talbott Hillman Foundation. In keeping with our mission to support narrative change about Haiti, we are delighted with the Wyncote Foundation's assistance in helping a Haitian media outlet reach a new audience in the United States. Over 15,000 people have benefited from these various projects.