Build Latrines in Rural Haiti

The Lambi Fund of Haiti staff members recently visited projects throughout the country and met with grassroots partners to receive updates and to learn more about the daily challenges they are facing.  One such memorable meeting was with the Saint Martin Youth Association for Community Development (AJSDC).  This group, founded by youth members in the community, is doing fantastic work to increase economic opportunities in their area and to improve overall living conditions for its members.

AJSDC partnered with Lambi Fund to build a grain mill in their community and one component of this project was building latrines adjacent to the mill.  During this visit we had the opportunity to not only tour the grain mill, but to see the bright and shiny latrines out back!

While latrines may sound like the most glamorous addition to a project, these latrines are making a significant impact in the community.  Before their installation, grain mill customers were left to "do their business" wherever they could find a bit of privacy.  As you can imagine, this is both difficult and unsanitary.  Now, the latrines are providing proper bathrooms to grain mill customers and the surrounding environment is cleaner and healthier - while cross-contamination with grains is now no longer a concern.

Mesi ampil for helping make these latrines a reality in AJSDC's community!  Lambi Fund's work is not complete though as we have numerous locations that continue to require the installation of latrines and we hope that you continue to support these efforts.

Links:

• Lambi Fund's website
• Spring Newsletter
• New Projects

As the Lambi Fund of Haiti reported a few months back, while the heart of Hurricane Sandy did not hit Haiti, the storm brought days and days of persistent rain.  This significant rainfall caused severe flooding – causing widespread loss of crops and livestock.

In response, Lambi Fund moved swiftly to respond to our partners’ needs.  Field Monitors in both the North and South met with community organizations throughout the country to assess damages.  As suspected, widespread loss of crops and livestock were reported, rainwater cisterns and irrigation canals were damaged and tree seedlings planted for reforestation efforts had washed away.  Lambi Fund staff members also estimate that the overall pace of projects, organizational capacity, and economic conditions in these communities will be negatively affected.  

As such, Lambi Fund has been working with community organizations throughout the country since the storm.  So far, 13 grassroots organizations have been provided emergency relief grants.  These grants are going straight to Haitians hit by the storm to help:

• Rapidly replant crops to increase their resilience to the famine that experts predict will occur in Haiti within the next few months
• Accommodate short-term family needs
• Allow the organization’s community-run enterprises to get back on track
• Prepare soil for planting
• Repair irrigation canals as necessary 
• Purchase seeds that do not require a long time to harvest (such as beans, vegetables and corn)
• Groups with animal husbandry projects will also be provided with funding to replace lost livestock 

In addition to this, Lambi Fund’s field monitors have been in contact with over 50 other community organizations that may qualify for similar emergency relief.  Once initial assessments are complete, these groups will be provided with the resources necessary to get back on their feet as well.

For each and every one of you that donated to Lambi Fund's emergency relief efforts following Hurricane Sandy, a very big mesi ampil  is in order.  Your support is helping Lambi Fund respond swiftly and appropriately to communities in need.  Hopefully through concentrated efforts like these, we can work to help curb the impending food crisis as much as possible and keep impoverished Haitians’ incomes flowing.

Links:

• Lambi Fund's website
• Haiti Pics
• How you can help