The Lambi Fund of Haiti

Spring 2006 Newsletter — Contents

2005 A Year of Accomplishments & Challenges

While the news media in 2005 focused on the deteriorating security situation and the elections in Haiti, the Lambi Fund of Haiti's priorities were intensifying reforestation efforts, increasing peasants skills and knowledge through expanded training, and recovering from the damage incurred by Hurricane Jeanne. These priorities responded to the needs of our partner organizations and took place in the context of our ongoing commitment to support economic justice, democracy and sustainable development.

Working on the Deforestation Problem

Reforestation. Many of our grassroots partner organizations experienced lower food production due to floods or drought. These extreme weather conditions are emblematic of the massive deforestation and consequent climate change in the area. Lambi Fund began an aggressive reforestation policy in 2005 whereby all Lambi Fund projects must now include a reforestation component.

Thanks to your support, Lambi Fund is working with peasant organizations in Haiti to help fuel a grassroots reforestation movement. After reflection on the reforestation issue, Lambi Fund and its partner organizations now have two levels of reforestation:

1. Small reforestation projects that are a sub-set of a larger sustainable development project. These projects are planting 10-50,000 trees each.
2. Large environmental projects whose main focus is a major reforestation effort. These projects are planting 50-100,000+ trees.

One groups reforestation plans. The mountain in Pocht is severely eroded due to over-planting of peanuts and deforestation, causing landslides so devastating that part of the mountain has slid into a ravine. This is a disaster on an ecological level. In order to save lives, the village and the mountain, drastic steps must be taken to protect the land. Members of the Assembly of the Peasants of Pochet (RPP) asked Lambi Fund to help them reforest the area. The members passionately want to recover the badly eroded land on their mountain. They will save lives by planting trees to stop mud slides and by training other peasants about reforestation to preserve the land. They will be building nurseries for reforestation and agro-forestry gardens. They will also create a campaign to raise awareness about the degradation of the environment due to deforestation and the continual planting of peanuts. Lambi will provide funds for training, tools, and six nurseries capable of raising 100,000 tree seedlings.