PROJECT GADRU HAITI

Together with distributors, customers, staff and sympathizers, Grafityp decided to contribute their mite to the reconstruction of Haiti.

Starting a project in Haiti is no sinecure. There is hardly any structure left in the country, and there is a lot of corruption. The very big established organisations receive a huge amount of money, of which the major part is invested in Port au Prince. Donating to one of these established organisations would be just a drop in the ocean, and we would never know exactly what happened with our donation. Grafityp decided to look for a local project, which we could follow at close range.

Various local sources (e.g. local contacts and people from B-Fast) informed us that the Church is one of the few reliable organisations in Haiti at the moment, and is still working quite well after the earthquake. Together with the local Rotary club, we got to know Father Jean Hostens, a priest of the Flemish Congregation of Missionhurst. This congregation has been working in Haiti for a very long time already, and has a very good reputation over there.

Father Jean Hostens has been a missionary in Haiti for more than 35 years now, and he can judge the situation in the country quite well. He has been working in Mombin-Crochu for 9 years, where GADRU has a local office. He witnessed the GADRU work and results himself, and he was very positive. Futhermore, a Belgian worker from Zonhoven, called Jef Swerts, is also working for this project. Eventually, Grafityp decided to support the work that the congregation and GADRU are doing in Haîti, as this is a project that we believe in, and of which we can see the result for ourselves.

This is NO emergency aid ! We are absolutely convinced that the big help organisations have got much more means to offer emergency aid. This is a fairly small project that can be controlled and followed closely, but most importantly, that is investing in long-term reconstruction.


WHO IS GADRU ?

GADRU (Groupe d'Appui au Développement Rural) was established in November 1992 by the partners of Misereor. There was quite a need for a local organisation in the North-East of Haiti, which would be responsible for starting and following up on small projects for the development of the rural areas. GADRU is aiming at solving the problem of extreme poverty and supporting the independance of the poor, not just as an individual, but also as a group.




WHAT DOES GADRU DO ?

GADRU is occupied with the development of rural areas.

In order to achieve this goal, GADRU is giving guidance to rural families and groups of farmers. They give technical advice as far as soil protection and productivity is concerned. They strive to improve the family income of the poor by means of small agricultural and stock breeding initiatives. GADRU tries to help people in making plans, in reinvesting their profits and in making money in the long run. The initiative is very successful in the region of Mombin-Crochu and is now being extended in other villages nearby. At the moment, 700 families (= 4200 people) are involved.

GADRU is focusing on various objectives:

setting up a local farmer's union

improving the breeding of chickens, goats and pigs

erosion control and reafforestation

production of cassave

STRUCTURE OF GADRU

GADRU has a central office near Port au Prince. They suffered enormous damage there because of the earthquake. They also have a local office in Mombin-Crochu. This office is following up on the project for Mombin-Crochu and Vallières. They also have a small education centre there. They are employing 14 co-operators in total, including 2 agricultural engineers and 6 agricultural technicians.


GRAFITYP AND ROTARY SUPPORTING GADRU

Grafityp and Rotary Houthalen Midden-Limburg wish to support GADRU in three ways:

In Port au Prince, by making their offices and education centres completely operational again (not the buildings themselves, but all the equipment inside).

In Mombin-Crochu, by improving the continuity of the energy sources, and by offering the necessary equipment for their education centres.

Agricultural equipment: by buying additional agricultural equipment, which will be available for the families.

Wherever possible, the equipment (furniture) will be made in local workshops, run by the Priests of the Flemish Congregation of Missionhurst. The congregation has several of these workshops, where local people are trained, e.g. a carpentry and a forge. We prefer this method over sending goods, as these projects and the people in Haiti will benefit from our support indirectly as well.

As said before, this is no emergency aid, but the project is aiming at DURABLE support: i.e. development and education, and making the local people more self-supporting in the long run.


EFFECT OF THE SUPPORT

Our support will have effect on three levels:

supporting GADRU = durable agricultural development.

supporting two job projects of the priest of the Flemish Congregation of Missionhurst, who will be responsible for manufacturing the major part of the equipment needed.

Improving the internal food chain (also to Port au Prince) by making cassave.

   




FOLLOW-UP AND FEEDBACK

A written agreement has been made with Father Jean Hostens. He will return to Haiti in April and follow the project very closely.

Furthermore, there is Jef Swerts of Zonhoven. He is working for GADRU in Haiti, and he will inform us directly and give feedback via his blog and his e-mail.

All information with regard to the further developments of the project will be available on this web page.