The EcoVillages
Birth of the EcoVillages: Out of Tragedy, New Hope
In 2010 a devastating earthquake killed 250,000 people and left a million homeless in Haiti. Presbyterians donated $11 million to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) Program to help Haiti recover. PCUSA partner MPP (Mouvman Peyizan Papay) received $600,000 to develop a resettlement initiative – the EcoVillages -- where survivors of the quake began to build a community of self-sufficient, small farmers. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee was a co-partner in the EcoVillage project.
EcoVillages Today
There are 6 villages that sit on previously unoccupied land, home to more than 300 refugees. Families live in sturdy homes surrounded by gardens, with clean water supplied by wells. Each village has 10 homes, each home with one acre of land. They are model communities that show how Haitians can live safe, productive, independent lives.
In Summer of 2020, the families in the EcoVillages used the funds provided by the Haiti Hunger Appeal to plant seeds, build fences to protect the gardens and most importantly, to feed their families. Click here to see photos of the school, playground and fencing, as well as the crops.
Why are they called EcoVillages?
They practice sustainable, organic agriculture. MPP, a 50-year-old agricultural NGO, has taught the residents how to compost to create rich soil, how to use tire gardens to conserve soil and water, and how to select the most nutritious crops that will thrive in the area’s dry and rainy seasons. Moringa, known in the U.S. as a “super food,” grows well in the area and provides excellent nutrition and income possibilities. Residents are able to feed their families healthy meals from their land.
Location
EcoVillages are located in a rural area of the Central Plateau of Haiti, between the City of Hinche and the village of Colladere, on National Highway 3.
Hardships
EcoVillagers were left destitute by the earthquake and prolonged displacement as a million Haitians searched for housing after the devastation.
PTSD: The EcoVillage provides safe shelter and the opportunity to raise their own food. However, many still suffer from psychological trauma from loss of families, possessions and a way of life.
Unfamiliar Lifestyle: Most are former city people without experience as farmers. They are learning new skills while living in a community of people who did not know one another before. Adjustments continue. There has been some turnover, but most of the original residents remain. A long waiting list keeps the villages full.
Donald, a skilled carpenter, built the benches for the classrooms, the cabinets for the sewing classes and these kitchen cabinets for his home.
He works with donated hand tools and available woods and creates beautiful pieces of furniture.
He hopes to open a carpentry shop nearby to generate income that will support his family. Starting such a business in this rural area presents many challenges that did not exist in the city.
Income: The quake threw many deeper into poverty. While the basics of safety, food, and shelter are accounted for, there are still questions about finding economic stability in the rural area with fewer opportunities.
Drought: The Central Plateau has experienced occasional droughts. Many villagers went hungry, needing food subsidies from MPP. Residents must learn how to live in a place with seasonal dry and rainy seasons that provides a rhythm of life requiring planning and know-how.
Water: Lack of water was one reason the land was not previously settled. Thus, drilling wells was the first priority for the creation of the EcoVillages. Fluctuating water tables and erratic solar technology continue to complicate the well project.