Maine Hearts and Hands for Haiti

URGENT NEED FOR HELP!

Haiti is hurting, suffering multiple humanitarian crises from natural disasters, gang violence, corruption, political instability, and severe food, power, and fuel shortages…. in addition to COVID 19 and recent flooding.

The Lincoln County Ecumenical Committee for Haiti (LCECFH) has been helping the Haitian community of Gros Morne help themselves since 2011. Our annual fund-raising dinners were not held in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID and the need for assistance has become more urgent.  Your donations alleviate hunger, help schools, support agriculture, and aid the indigent.  Please continue reading and view the video at the end.

 

Haitian proverb: “Swiv ke ou” - “Follow your heart”.

 

LCECFH appeals during this Lenten season to good Samaritans of all faiths in Lincoln County, the state of Maine and beyond to contribute to this campaign addressing very concrete needs and requests from the neediest in Gros Morne, Haiti. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Decisions on how to spend the amount raised will, as always, be left to community leaders in Gros Morne, Haiti who have first-hand knowledge of needs. Thank you for reading, thank you for your compassion and thank you for joining your Hearts and Hands with ours to help Haiti this year.

 

 

SUCCESS IN THE MIDST OF ADVERSITY

Our Hearts have been captivated by the indomitable spirit of the people of Gros Morne in northwestern Haiti. Person by person, family by family, school by school, tangible progress is being made in overcoming these adversities through our donations of over $100,000 during the last ten years.

 

 

 

 

Our Hands are The Lincoln County Ecumenical Committee, inspired by Susan and Frazier Meade (American Foreign Service in Haiti, 1976-1979) and Dean Curran (US Ambassador to Haiti, 2001-03).

 

 

Haitian proverb: “Men anpil, chay pa lou” - “Many hands make the load lighter”.

 

We work hand in hand with “Friends of Gros Morne” in Haiti, an ecumenical self-help group from the community who prioritize needs and assure funds directly benefit the community and bypass bureaucratic processes, eliminating potential waste and political corruption. Past projects have provided developmental aid to schools, women’s groups, farmers, artisan groups, healthcare, reforestation initiatives, youth groups, earthquake recovery, and addressed food insecurity.

 

Haitian proverb: “Piti Piti zwazo fe nich”- “Little by little a bird builds its nest.”

 

Small projects directly benefiting individuals and families in Gros Morne can be transformative in these areas: education; agriculture; aid to indigent

 

 

EDUCATION

Funds raised by LCECFH ensure the continuation of school lunch programs in four schools, and the purchase of “rocket” stoves at one school to decrease wood consumption. Purchase of books will help to expand girls' education at the secondary level at St. Gabriel School and to add an 8th grade course at Lekol Jesu Marie. Continued support for book purchases and required school uniforms means more access to education for many children.

 

 

 

 

AGRICULTURE

LCECFH funds ensure the expansion of the Family Enterprise project. Farmers must attend a training course and construct a simple coop before receiving chickens and an improved breed rooster. They also receive chicken feed and are encouraged to join a co-op.

Planters in the household garden program will receive a starter kit of a variety of vegetables designed to enhance family nutrition as well as training. Farmers also receive seeds for commercialized crops such as yams and sweet potatoes.



Some larger farms also receive seed support for beans, corn and peas.

 

 

Haitian Proverb: “Pise cwapo fe monte rivye” - “Every little bit helps”.

 

AID TO THE INDIGENT

Support from LCECFH funds will go to sourcing and the preparation of two hot meals daily for care facility residents but may also be used to obtain needed medications. Children from some of the local schools help out at the center.

 

Haitian proverb: “Lespwa fe viv” - “Hope makes one live”.

 

SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES AND NATURAL DISASTERS

"Haiti" or “Ayiti” translates to “land of high mountains”. Haiti is literally and figuratively a land of mountains, a place of ups and downs, a place of imperfections, but also of beauty in its land and in its people.... it is a land of intense sorrow and incalculable joy. It has suffered but survived through the unyielding spirit of independence of her people. The essence of these hopeful, heartful people has endured and continues in their art, religion and culture.

 

In 2020, 1 in 3 (or 4.4 million) Haitians were in urgent need of food with 1 million suffering from severe hunger due to government instability, demonstrations, blockades, decreases in agricultural production resulting in food shortages and high prices. Schools were closed for months, agricultural production and food distribution was disrupted. Government corruption, deforestation and political strife persist. Recovery from the 2010 Earthquake and from Hurricane Matthew in 2016 is ongoing and the October, 2018, earthquake, which impacted the community of Gros Morne directly, compounded the situation. Next came Hurricane Laura in 2019 and another earthquake in August, 2021 to aggravate the conditions. Over a third of the population lacks access to clean water and two-thirds have limited or no sanitation services. More than a third are living with food insecurity and 217,000 children are suffering from malnutrition.

The following video was prepared by community leaders of Gros Morne.  You can see the needs and the successes.  Please support Maine Hearts and Hands for Haiti so we can continue to fund the projects for the people of Gros Morne who are in dire need.