Moringa Reforestation in Northwest Haiti | 2017

World Centric + DESPRI

$46,336.35 from profits from fiscal year 2017

The Northwest of Haiti suffers from extreme rates of environmental degradation, soil erosion, deforestation, drought, falling water tables, reduced water yields of streams, fall in size of arable land, and accelerated desertification. The continued socio-economic crisis, isolation of the region, outward migration due to lack of livelihoods and educational opportunities, and natural disasters with disastrous impact on the local communities further contribute to the vulnerability of the region.

World Centric has partnered with DESPRI (previously named LOCAL Haiti) since 2015 to reforest the Northwest Artibonite of Haiti, expanding from 4 to 6 tree nurseries. The nurseries are each associated with women’s Self Help Groups, who are the recipients of many of the trees grown.

The Impact

• 300,000 tree seedlings (moringa and fruit trees)
• 1.5 million moringa seeds for distribution
• Training for 500 women who are members of DESPRI’s Self Help Groups in tree care, nutrition, and leadership.

Indirect Impact:

• Increase in Income generation from moringa and fruit bearing trees.
• Reduction in soil erosion in targeted areas of tree planting.
• Increase of community understanding of environmental impact and land management.
• Increase in health due to access to fresh fruit and moringa, which is very effective in treating malnutrition.
• Increase in education and organization of the women participating in the Self Help Groups.

The Approach

This project will begin with a rehabilitation of the tree nursery infrastructure (fixing torn netting and broken supports and preparation of composting and seedling bags until it is at full operational capacity. There will then be capacity building training for 500 women who are members of DESPRI’s self help groups and for local farmers. This takes place in the form of 32 training seminars, followed by onsite visits.

About DESPRI

A World Centric partner since 2015.

DESPRI (Développement Entreprenariat Social Production Rural Intègre) seeks to strengthen local capacities of individuals and organizations in Haiti through a participatory approach while fostering Universal values. Their current development initiatives focus on modernization of productive value-chains such as traditional salt production, and on capacity-building of leaders and entrepreneurs, formation of cooperative units of production and micro-credit, and promotion of ecological and socio-economic sustainability. DESPRI utilizes the bottom-up Self-Help Group participatory methodology to establish Entrepreneurship Incubation Centers and women’s savings-and-loans solidarity networks as the base for supporting innovation and transformation in vulnerable and underserved Haitian communities.

More projects with DESPRI:

• Women’s Microloan Program in Northwest Haiti

Updates

October 2018
186,000 of the 300,000 trees have been planted & 360 of the 500 women have recieved training.