LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMS A COMMUNITY

Submitted by: Kathy Adams
 
Photo: District Governor Debra Warner and Rotarians’ Ed Williams; Rick Bricker; Rick Adams; and Dr. Cleantus Jean, Jr., visit the sanitation site funded through a Rotary grant.
 
During a January 2018 trip to Garde Saline, Haiti, where Rotary District 5580 has been involved for several years, I was reminded of a quote from former Rotarian and football great, Vince Lombardi: “Leaders aren’t born, they are made.  And they are made not like anything else, but through hard work. That’s the price we pay to achieve that goal or any goal.” 
 
Haiti is a country that has survived on handouts for generations.  International governments and thousands of aid groups, including Rotary Clubs, have brought much-needed resources into Haiti.
Debra Warner and Ed Williams with Kensley Charles, a young boy who received life-saving medical care with their support.
 
With clean water, medical care, housing, and a sanitation plan in place, the Garde Saline Leadership Council spoke to us during our January visit about the need to expand economic development programs – to raise not only the income level of individual families, but of the village, itself.  This means a greater emphasis on economic development programs that will increase both the earning potential of individuals, as well as the development of larger-scale programs that will provide income for the Leadership Council, so they may financially sustain programs that currently require support to run, such as the medical clinic and the sanitation system. This latter strategy, especially, will help the entire village.
 
To assist with economic development in the village, The Central Lakes Rotary Club will be applying for District Grants to expand two sustainable agriculture projects that will increase revenue, not only for individual farmers, but for the village.  We are seeking other partner clubs to become involved in the project, and we are excited to share the following information about the proposed projects.
 
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
 
  1. Farm Pilot Project:  Phase II.  In 2016/2017, The Faith Project launched a sustainable agriculture project with twenty-two farmers in the village.  A Haitian Agronomist was hired to provide the farmers with classroom instruction on a variety of topics -  from planting, to composting, to maximizing crop yields; to provide technical assistance to farmers in the fields; and to provide farmers with a loan of $250 for seed, tools, and labor.  Crops were hit hard by Hurricane’s Irma and Harvey in Fall 2017, yet the farmers have worked very hard to recover, with 60% of them repaying their loans as of January 2018 (all loans repayments are due by April 1, 2018).
 
Part of the program’s focus has been to encourage farmers to take steps to avoid crop destruction during the hurricane season in Haiti (typically July through October).  With this in mind, they formed a farm association that has become successful with the implementation of a few new practices: 1) farmers cleaned and extended a canal to divert water away from their crops during the rainy/hurricane season; 2) one of the farmers donated land on which all of the farmers work to plant and care for seedlings that they will plant in their fields, with teams of the farmers helping one another during the planting and harvesting.  We were amazed to see how hard the farmers worked to restore their fields since the hurricanes; 3) Diversification – starting a poultry operation to broaden farm products. 
 
Photo right, below: Joseph Moise, whose crop was destroyed after Hurricane’s Harvey and Irma, worked hard to clear his fields and replant his beans. Center Photo: One of the farmers donated land on which the farmer’s association works collectively to grow seedlings that will be planted in their fields at a later date. Photo Right: Farmers worked tirelessly to dig and clear out a diversion canal so water will no longer flood their fields during the rainy season.       
 
 
Phase II of the program, for which the proposed Rotary Grant will be used, is to start that poultry operation for egg production. The program will involve training for each farmer so they know how to purchase chickens; how to raise and care for the chickens; how to construct a coop for their chickens; how to develop markets for their eggs; and how to sustain their operations over the long term.  Total budget for this project is $5,000.00.
 
  1. Poultry (Meat) Production
 
In addition to the egg-laying operation, the Leadership Council has proposed a larger-scale poultry farm to generate revenue to support programs that have been implemented in the village, but are not yet financially sustainable.
 
Farmers with experience in raising poultry will be selected to manage the project, and they will work with a Haitian Agronomist who will provide training and technical assistance. This project involves training on poultry production and management; the construction of a brooding facility to house the chickens; feed and health of chickens; and training on marketing and selling the product at area markets.  Total budget for this project is $9,000.00.
 
WOMEN’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/REVOLVING LOAN FUND
Rosemarie Predestin, a Leadership Council member and women's loan recipient states, "I have 3 kids, with no father. With money I earn from this program, I can send two of my children to school."
 
While not part of the proposed grant, we are looking for Clubs that might be interested in supporting the Women’s Economic Development/Revolving Loan Fund program that was started in 2015 with a grant from Lynn and Paul Hunt (Lynn is a member of the Central Lakes Rotary Club). This is an amazing program that is transforming the lives of thirty women in the village.
 
Phase I of this program (launched in 2015/2016) involved a three-day business training program for twenty women in the village; a loan of $180 (at 5% interest) for each woman; and ongoing technical assistance as they launched their businesses.  Within 18 months, 100% of the women had repaid their loans and were earning regular income for their families.
 
Madame Warcique Pierre is one of the most successful women in the program. She sells gasoline to motor taxi's in the area.
 
Phase II of the program (launched in 2017), involved taking the top ten business women from Phase I and adding ten new women to the program.  As of January 2018, 80% of the women have repaid their loans and are generating regular income to support their families.
 
During our visit with the women in January 2018, they recommend redesigning the program so that more women can be involved and so they can more easily support and help one another. Like the farmers, they are recommending becoming an association, with “pods” of five to six women in each who will work collaboratively to buy product and sell at multiple area markets.  The loan to each woman would increase from $180 to $300.  In addition, the Leadership Council would rent a building and stock it with product the women can buy at wholesale prices, to avoid transportation fees and excess fees and duties they are charged when buying product in the Dominican Republic or larger Haitian cities.
 
The cost of this program is $19,000.  Debra Warner and her husband, Ed Williams, have pledged $4,000 to the project, and with the repaid loans in 2018 on target to reach $3,000, a balance of $11,000 is needed to move forward with the project.
 
LOCAL LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMS THE VILLAGE
District Governor Nominee Rick Bricker and Rotarian Ed Williams listen to the Leadership Council as they discuss the sanitation system, the farm program, the Women’s Economic Development Program, and the village’s recovery after Hurricane’s Harvey and Irma. 
 
The Faith Project provided a series of leadership training programs in 2016 and 2017. The programs focused on visioning; strategic planning; the role of a leader; financial and project accountability; conflict resolution, and other topics.
 
Evaluations were completed by villager leaders.  Their comments speak to the importance of learning leadership skills as they build their village:
 
“Since the training, I understand better what I have to do to be a leader.  The responsibility to be a leader is within each of us.”
“Learning about the difference between a good leader or a negligent leader has inspired me to be a dedicated leader, a responsible leader.  I can’t expect other people to do it.”
“In Haiti, there is a lack of understanding of even what leadership is.  The training enriched my understanding of this.”
“Servant leadership is not real in this country.  But, with the forming of the Leadership Council and this training, people are becoming involved.”
“The Leadership Council in Garde Saline has been asked many times to come to other villages to talk about what we are doing.  This training will bring other villages to learn about it.”
 
In addition, there is nothing more exciting than listening to the farmers and the women who have benefitted from these economic programs. In our meetings with them in January, they provided the following feedback:
 
Farmers
“This food provides for my family, and I can sell some for profit.”
“The most important part of this program is the technical assistance.  I learned many things that will help me do better in farming each season.”
“After the Hurricanes, we tried to get government loans to help, but they refused. It was not easy to recover, but we know how to do it now.”
 
Women in the Economic Development/Revolving Loan Fund Program
     "I no longer have to stay home and can earn some wages to help my family." 
     "I am more respected in the community as a business woman."
     "I am a single mom of four children, and it helps me send two of my children to school." 
     "The benefits I receive means that when my child asks me for something, I can provide it for him."
     "People around now see women in a positive way for being creative and positively affecting their economic situations.
     "I have been able to buy goats, now, and pay for my kids’ school." 
 
INVITATION TO OTHER CLUBS TO HELP
 
Vince Lombardi was right.  Leadership is learned.  Leadership is hard work.  Becoming the best leader any of us can be takes a lifetime – whether we are born in the United States or Haiti.  We invite you all to use your leadership skills to mentor the community leaders in Garde Saline.
 
How Can You and Your Club Help?
You can help by partnering with us to fund these projects. 
You can visit our booth at the District Conference in Thunder Bay to learn more.
You can plan to travel with us to Haiti in 2018, to get a sense of the work that The Faith Project and Rotary have already been doing in Garde    Saline.  While firm dates have not yet been set, there is already interest in a number of Rotarians traveling to Haiti in October 2018.
You can bring your skills to Haiti.  With each program implemented in Garde Saline, we are told by Haitians that “technical assistance” is the   most important part of the program.  Your skills can and will be used.  Long-term, there is interest in moving forward with a VTT       Program for leadership development.
 
For more information on how you can help, contact:
Debra Warner, District 5580 Governor at 218-780-3972
Rick Bricker, District 5580 Governor Nominee at 218-330-4596
Rick Adams, Central Lakes Rotary at 218-839-4800