Haitian Social Enterprises

The headlines about thousands of Haitian migrants seeking asylum in in the US underscores the desperate conditions facing their homeland. 

Many are asking how we can help Haiti. Nonprofit organizations that already work in the region are best positioned to respond effectively respond to the humanitarian crises in Haiti. Partners in Health, founded by Paul Farmer, is an inspirational organization that not only provides healthcare but also trains incredible local teams of doctors, nurses and medical staff. Hope for Haiti and Fokal are also excellent grassroots organizations that work in Southern Haiti, the region most effected by the recent earthquake and are delivering emergency aid.  I highly recommend donations to these organizations.
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In addition, the underlying cause of the chaos, instability, and the high casualties from natural disasters is Haiti’s high rate of poverty. One way to help Haiti rebuild over the long term is to purchase goods from Haiti, supporting the economy. The hardworking people of Haiti create exquisite products, but they often lack marketing and advertising budgets. Below I've listed two Haitian businesses that not only sell beautiful and delicious items, they also go an extra mile by empowering their employees. I've curated additional social enterprises in a post I wrote for the Give A Day Global blog here. Bit by bit, if these businesses can flourish, then it may help with Haiti’s longterm recovery. As they say in Haitian Creole, “Piti, piti, zwazo fe nich li;” meaning little by little the bird builds its nest. We can all contribute just one twig.

Their name means “two hands” in French, and Deux Mains epitomizes the idea that we can change the world with our two hands. Their handcrafted sandals, leather bags, and jewelry are created in a woman-owned and managed eco-friendly solar powered factory, and their purpose is to create jobs with dignified wages. A percentage of profits gets directed to their education and job training program, REBUILD globally, where every graduate is guaranteed a job at Deux Mains.

With tasteful papier-mâché sculptures, vases, and wall art, Caribbean Craft is a socially responsible company that designs tasteful home goods made from recycled paper. Their purpose is to create revenue for artisan communities in Haiti and meaningful waste reduction by using recycled materials in their crafts. Their products are distributed widely through brands such as West Elm.

See many more wonderful Haitian social enterprises on a post I wrote for the Give A Day Global blog here.