EARNING MORE

We help families develop food and income security using many strategies, including growing new crops, learning new skills, and making products.

Increasing family income in rural Haiti requires the time and talents of everyone in a household, which are typically multi-generational with five to fifteen adults. Everybody has a part to play. Traditionally, the female head of a household, for example, manages the family budget and market day activities.

Improving a farm’s economics requires a cropping plan that lays out (1) a diversity of food and cash crops throughout the year, (2) crops that can be stored after harvest- for food security and market timing for best prices, and (3) crop commodities that can be made into products to increase their value. New income streams can also be found in the wild, like keeping bees and harvesting honey.

People learn new skills and get the necessary tools - like what it takes to repair a small engine or to set up a cottage industry, like making fruit preserves.

Improving farm income also means connecting to better markets, working cooperatively on projects with others in the community and learning money management.

JP’s efforts may not put anyone on easy street, but they do improve a family’s welfare and economic security, not to mention, its dignity. It keeps food on the table, kids in school, and gives a family more resilience to life’s unexpected calamities. It also sets a good course for the next generation. It breaks the cycle of generational poverty.

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