The Americas, Haiti, Featured Post

Empowering Women and Youth in Southern Haiti

January 9, 2024

Despite the difficult security situation in Haiti, Peace Winds continues operating a multi-year livelihoods program in Les Cayes in the Sud (the southern department) to help women build businesses. Over the last two years, Peace Winds has supported a women’s group, NAPB (Nouvelle Association Paysanne de Balix = New Farmers Association of Balix) in operating a cashew and peanut processing program, training community members in making roast nuts and peanut butter for sale. Cashew and peanut products are an important commodity in Haiti. This makes them a great tool for people in need to build business skills and support their families.

5 women wearing orange polo shirts stand a table with a Peace Winds and NAPB banner and jars of cashews

NAPB members sell cashews at a local market

Trainees of the cashew and peanut processing program attended courses at Peace Winds’ community centers where they learned how to harvest, process, and package the nuts. They also received business training, learning how to make one-year, two-year, and three-year business plans. The women study marketing and sales while practicing skills such as designing their own labels and selling their products at local markets.

As part of their marketing efforts, NAPB members created Facebook and Instagram pages to promote their work. Check them out by clicking the links!

Additionally, in 2023, Peace Winds supported a vocational training program in sewing for youth in Arniquet Commune. Students learned about sewing theory, textile design, and practiced hands-on sewing techniques. Additionally, training courses taught students skills and best practices in entrepreneurship, career-planning, and marketing. 

Large group of Haitian women all wearing colorful clothing stands behind a smiling woman wearing a gray dress and holding a piece of white fabric

Sewing students, instructor, and sample fabric

Peace Winds looks forward to continuing our programming in 2024. Beginning in February 2024, our teams in Haiti will support livelihood activities for fishermen in the Sud. We look forward to reporting project updates after the program begins. Our work in Haiti is funded by the Kuraray Company in Japan as well as by contributions from individual donors. We thank you for your continued support which makes our work possible, and we look forward to continuing to support the people of Haiti. 

Click here to make a donation to Peace Winds’ work in Haiti through GlobalGiving.

Smiling Haitian teenage girl wears a gray and pink uniform and stands in a classroom with other students

Jasmine, a sewing student in Arniquet

Large group of Haitian teenagers wearing pink shirts stands on the blue and white balcony of a community center behind two smiling men wearing red shirts

Sewing students after a training course