Projects

The villages of Chermaitre, Molas and many others in L’Acul are situated on mountain slopes of over 2,500 feet elevation several miles from accessible roads. These remote villages can only be reached on foot and all building materials and supplies arrive on the backs of people or draft animals. Two Mules (De Milèt) pools resources from partner organizations and individuals to purchase, outfit, and provide veterinary care for donkeys and mules used for the transport of supplies. Draft animals are purchased in the L’Acul Communal Section, as a stimulus to the local economy, and Two Mules’ Project Director, Andre Wildaine, identifies families who take charge of the animals, manage their service and see to their care. Caretaker families employ the animals within the limits of crafted agreements specifying the terms of use and upkeep, documentation and veterinary care. Two Mules works with educational institutions and other organizations to improve healthcare for the animals.

Bon Samaritain, an Episcopal school in the L’Acul Parish of the Diocese of Haiti, has the only secondary school program in the area and it receives no support from the Haitian government or the Diocese. Students must complete secondary school (7th-9th grades) in order to obtain a certificate of graduation, equivalent to a high-school diploma in the US. Many primary schools in the L’Acul region, and Bon Samaritain itself, operate with some support from US partners. Many families are unable to afford the annual cost for schooling, and few families from the rural villages in the L’Acul Parish choose to send their children to the nearest government supported school in Gros-Morne. Father Wildaine and his family have established a scholarship program to help defray expenses for some students at Bon Samaritain. The cost is $1,000 per student per year and this stipend covers tuition, dormitory fees, books, food, uniforms, and a backpack. The scholarship assistance also includes pay for cooks, custodians and live-in chaperones for the women’s dorm. The merit-based scholarships are awarded by Bon Samaritain’s Selection Committee based on the student’s financial need, his or her grades in the 5th and 6th levels, and the score received on the annual state-sponsored proficiency exam. Additional consideration is given to gender, as the current proportion of male students is higher than female (~80%:20%). Secondary and higher education opportunities are widely recognized by L’Acul families as their brightest hope for the future.

Most families in the rural L’Acul section rely on open springs and streams for drinking water. Water quality tests conducted by Two Mules in 2018 at the spring-fed source of water for the Notre Dame School and the village of Molas indicated high levels of coliform bacteria confirming that the water is unsafe for consumption. These results are underscored by incidence of illnesses and fatalities from cholera and other water-borne diseases. Two Mules is working to partner with organizations such as the Rotary Club and CAWST to implement significant improvements in water purification and hygiene. The recent installation of a chlorination system in the village of Chermaitre is an important achievement demonstrating the effectiveness of the partnership program between Rotary and the Vassar Haiti Project.

The Méina Foundation headed by Andre Wildaine is offering classes for adults from Chermaitre, Molas, Gros-Morne, Fierville and neighboring villages. These classes include adult literacy and instruction in valuable skills such as sewing and embroidering. Many of the participants in these classes are women who are eager to contribute to their family’s finances. Class size is 20 students per class and the course duration is 24 weeks. The cost of tuition ($500), books, and supplies is often beyond the means of families, and Two Mules is working to assist prospective students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread to Haiti, Gros-Morne and the L’Acul basin. Like the rest of the world, people need masks, clean water, washing basins, and hand sanitizer to slow the spread of the virus. Health care workers, PPE and other resources are needed. To assist Two Mules in providing these resources for families in the L’Acul basin, please follow the link below.

Small farms in L’Acul lack sufficient funds to finance their crops, or start and maintain business operations. The produce derived from family farms is critical, with small margins of surplus produced for cash sales or exchange. With access to capital severely restricted, family farms and small businesses are exposed to high levels of risk, as weather, disease and political unrest can result in significant shortages of food needed for basic nutrition. Farmers need a source of capital, typically provided by banks and other lending institutions, to weather unforeseen events that cause shortages. Alternatively, farming cooperatives could provide small loans through micro-financing programs. Initial capital is needed at this time from both cooperative members and outside sources. Two Mules is looking for partners to help provide an initial source of capital for farming cooperatives having micro-financing options. If you are interested in partnering, please contact Two Mules or support this initiative by following the link below.

Assisting local farmers with improved cultivation, processing and marketing, while promoting reforestation are essential components of Two Mules’ mission in rural Haiti. Deforestation and soil erosion have long been understood as significant deterrents to improving crop productivity, and although the causes of deforestation are complex, local farmers are very aware of the advantages of adopting practices that regenerate forests. Two Mules board members have begun exploring successful reforestation projects in Haiti and anticipate partnering with organizations such as Haiti Reforestation (https://haitireforest.org/) to design and implement agricultural improvement projects that promote reforestation, minimize erosion, conserve topsoil and promote the planting of shade trees as part of farming. In the past, coffee was the main source of income for inhabitants or rural Haiti. Because of deforestation, coffee production has been reduced to the point of disappearance, yet in some areas today, coffee farming cooperatives are beginning to thrive. Programs that couple reforestation and coffee cultivation can revive this industry and provide support for village economies in L’Acul.