Help Two Haitian Families Settle in Vermont

How You Can Help

Their Stories

Meet two families: Monise Jean, Witchelle, Wedly, Winnie and Wedens, Edwine, Wens, Rhode, and Rams. They have longtime ties to Vermont and are hoping to come to Vermont for a reprieve from the violence and turmoil of their home communities. They are applying for sponsorship through an immigration program that welcomes Haitian citizens to live and work in the U.S. for up to two years.

Wedly and Wedens Pierre Decéus are brothers. Both are university-trained agronomists who work with Ayiti Konsè Vèt (Keep Haiti Green), to build community-led food security projects in rural Haiti. Since its founding in 2001, AKV has established 17 school gardens, community-led animal husbandry, and adult literacy classes which offer participating families increased food security, economic opportunity, and improved living conditions.

With rising violence across Haiti, and with the emergence of the Sponsorship program through the United States Committee on Refugees and Immigrants, the families are requesting the opportunity to immigrate to the United States with their families for a two-year period. Wedens would like to come with his four children, Edwine (age 20), Wens (age 16), Rhode (age 14) and Rams (age 7). Wedley hopes to come to Vermont with his wife, Monise Jean and their two children, Winnie (age 15) and Witchelle (age 11).

The Pierre Decéus brothers and their colleagues first came to Shelburne Farms in 2006 during a sustainable agriculture study tour through Vermont. Wedly and Wedens quickly found alignment with their commitment to sustainability. “During my first visit to Vermont, my life, my ideas, and my perception changed,” Wedly reflects. “[From then on,] I prioritized sustainability in everything.” Wedly and Wedens came for additional study tours which have inspired their work in Haiti to employ new farm and garden systems, build a bakery, and set up a beekeeping project. Their gardens and the bakery have been decimated by flooding and hurricanes repeatedly, and each time, they have rebuilt, using their modest salaries.

Since their last visit in 2019, life in Haiti has become untenable. “In 2019, my 2 daughters were returning from school, they were with their mother on the road while they crossed a street blocked by burning tires; the protesters threw stones in their direction. Back home, they were crying bitterly. In 2021, while the students were waiting for a minibus, a classmate from the same school that my daughter frequented received a stone blow to the head. She was bleeding heavily, we took her to the hospital, and my daughters were right next to the victim. In 2022, it was more serious; the bandits fired guns next to their schools. My family and I were locked up at home for almost a week because of the bandits; they shot day and night in front of my house. The kids are crying, we are really stressed,” Wedly writes.

Wedly’s daughters love playing music and baking. Monise Jean has multiple degrees in education / pedagogy and agriculture, and has worked with the JENKA Program (Youth in the Construction of Haiti) and as the owner of a grocery store in Cap-Haitien, among other endeavors. Wedens eldest daughter, Edwine is 20-years-old and in the final year of her classical studies before she can start studying for dermatology. Wedens’ son, Wens is 16-years-old and wants to become an architect. His daughter, Rhode is 14-years-old and loves dancing and music. His youngest son, Rams, is 7-years-old and does well studying English at school.

Thank you for supporting their dream of living in Vermont.

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Q: How will my donation be used?

A: Your support will enable these families to have a sound footing once they arrive in Vermont. This means groceries, rent, transportation, and other sundries necessary for a smooth resettlement process.

Q: What will happen to your donation if their immigration applications are denied?

A: If their applications are denied and they do not have a pathway forward to come to Vermont, your donation will be given to Ayiti Konsè Vèt (AKV, or “Keep Haiti Green”), a nonprofit in Haiti running school gardens and other community food security projects.

Q: Are the adults in the families looking for employment?

A: Wedly, Wedens, and Monise Jean will be seeking employment upon arriving in Vermont. They have masters degrees and experience with gardens, agriculture, animal husbandry, community organizing, and education. To view their professional qualifications and resumes please contact Vera Simon-Nobes [email redacted].

Q: Are there ways to support beyond financial giving?

A: Yes! If you know of available housing in Burlington or would like to be a sponsor for one of the families, please be in touch with Vera Simon-Nobes [email redacted] or Megan Camp, [email redacted].

Q: Is my gift tax deductible?

A: No. This is a personal GoFundMe fundraiser, not a charity fundraiser, so gifts are not tax-deductible. If you would like to make an additional tax-deductible gift to support the ongoing school garden work of AKV in Haiti, you can do so here.

Thank you.