Job Creation
For the past 30 years, HIM Haiti has helped Haitians receive an education and find work to support themselves and their families. The ministry itself has hired over 100 Haitians as teachers, administration, cooks, etc. Today, HIM Haiti is working on several projects to provide jobs for hundreds of Haitians stimulate economic growth within their community.
Last winter, HIM Haiti had a donor visit on a vision trip and he saw that a batch plant, which mixes concrete into precise blocks, would be a huge blessing to the ministry and community of Pignon. If you have ever travelled to Haiti you know that the majority of structures are built of cement block. Unfortunately, many builders or block makers do not understand the importance of proper measurements when mixing these vital building blocks. Thanks to this donor and volunteers, we now have the proper machinery in Haiti and we are in process of getting this business up and running. The first step is to get the water tower in place (pictures below). This batch plant will be an income generator and provide jobs for people in our community. UPDATE: April 2015: Thanks to teams coming from Pekin,IL, the Batch Plant is up and running!
HIM Haiti has purchased land right off of the new national highway #3 in Pignon. This highway is being constructed between Cap Haitien and Port au Prince running through the center of the country and right through our community. This land is strategically located for Pignon’s first ever retail center, starting with the construction of the first ever gas station in Pignon. It will be the only fuel station in a 20 mile radius once it opens (hopefully in Spring 2014). HIM Haiti already has made great strides thanks to generous donors. We have installed 30,000 gallon fuel tanks and are moving right along on the building structure. This gas station will be a job creator and an anchor business for future retail shops and restaurants along the highway.
The first sewing classes will begin at College de la Grace in the fall of 2012. Because of the generous donations of people like you, HIM Haiti was able to provide over 10 sewing machines to the school. Similar to taking a Home Economics class in the states, students will learn the basics of sewing as well as how to create several different garments. Currently, we are looking for international retail partners to create jobs in the Pignon area.
The focus of this project is to develop an integrated fish/poultry farm to provide protein for the students at College de la Grace and surrounding schools, as well as to create jobs in the Central Haiti area. Both the chicken farms and fisheries will be located on the campus of College de la Grace, making it even easier to integrate these job skills training courses into the curriculum.
FISH Ministries partnering with HIM Haiti to help get the chicken farm started. The first chicken coops are being built and FISH Ministries will provide the first 200 chicks. Students will learn to plant corn in order to have food to feed the chickens. They will feed the chickens for about 6 weeks before they are fully grown and ready to be processed. The first batch of chicks arrived on campus in July 2012! We now have the second coop completed and the third is on the way up.
We are looking for additional partners to help us launch Tilapia fisheries. Tilapia is a perch-like fish which grows well in the Haitian environment and feed on natural food organism. Waste from the chickens will be used to fertilize the fish pond to create the natural food organism. After about 4-5 months, the fish will grow to about 0.9 lb. – 1.2 lb. and will be ready to distribute as food.
While the main goal of these projects will be primarily to feed the kids at the school, portions of the crop of chicken and fish will be sold to local merchants so that more chicks and fish can be purchased.
Students will be trained to operate these chicken coops and fish ponds with the goal of helping them to start their own businesses in the future.
We need your help All these projects are just the beginning. HIM Haiti has a vision to create economic growth and help Haiti thrive.
Disaster Relief Warehouse
Over the years, HIM Haiti has provided relief to the victims of natural disasters. In 2004 and 2008, HIM Haiti came to help Gonaive when hurricanes flooded this community. And in 2010 when the earthquake hit and devastated Port au Prince, HIM Haiti dedicated 100% of their time and resources to helping the families who were left behind in the rubble and chaos. Over 400 displaced people found refuge at Camp de la Grace for up to eight months.
Today, HIM Haiti is doing everything we can to be prepared for the next natural disaster. Founder, Caleb Lucien decided to build a Disaster Relief Warehouse in the heart of his community for two reasons: 1) Haiti’s geographic location leaves it vulnerable to extreme weather patterns. It is not a matter of if another disaster hits Haiti, but when. 2) With the Haitian government finishing the pavement of the main Highway in town, Pignon will now become a strategic location for travelers between Port au Prince and Cap Haitien. Traveling between these two cities will become much easier, which will also make distributing supplies to neighboring cities easy too.
With the help of American teams, HIM Haiti has already laid the foundation and started constructing this warehouse. Once completed, HIM Haiti will begin to store up supplies such as first aid, food, clothing, and building supplies.
We need your help The completion and stocking of the Disaster Relief Warehouse is dependent on generous donations as well as construction volunteers.
Electrical Co-op
HIM Haiti helped bring electricity to Pignon in 2005. Up until that point, this community operated with zero electricity, which is almost impossible to imagine in the 21st century. This project began with the donation of a large diesel generator powerful enough to provide electricity to the whole community. By partnering with NRECA International, HIM Haiti has been able to see this project blossom over the last several years. Today over 300 homes receive 3 hours power each night, with each member of the co-op paying their own costs.