After visiting Haiti and meeting some of the most friendly and gracious and generous and desperately poor people you can imagine, we committed ourselves to make a positive difference to their lives.
When you see the 500,000 people squeezed into the little, one-room shacks in Cite Soleil, when you see children picking up a handful of dirt to snack on – in a futile attempt to appease the gnawing hunger of an empty stomach, what can you do?
The lack of any infrastructure – almost no electricity, almost no telephones, the few roads are so washed out as to be almost impassable, no viable economy, no workable political structure to even provide hope of improvement—makes it clear the “fixing” Haiti is overwhelming.
We are not trying to “fix Haiti”. We are committed to helping some of the people in Haiti. When you look at how the individuals eke a living and raise a family among this devastation, it is amazing how they make do with so little. With few resources, they do a lot. With a little help, they can do much more. They are willing and able, but they do need help. Haitian Pilgrims is committed to help. We have “adopted” St. Therese parish as our avenue to help the village of Boileau, a community of some 300 families. Our goal is to help Boileau achieve self-sufficiency. To provide them the help to help themselves. To help them have hope for the future.
How a trip to Haiti opens your eyes to see extreme poverty and hopeless existence
You visit orphanages, clinics, housing projects, schools and soup kitchens. It’s good to see some people getting help because you’ll also see a sampling of the hundreds of thousands who receive no help. You see adults working like oxen, pulling large carts loaded with heavy material, and you’re told they probably earn just a few dollars, enough to provide a little food for their families for one more day. read more »
Introducing Haiti
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The overwhelming majority are desperately poor. About 85% of the people are trying to eke out a living on less than a dollar per day. There is staggering child mortality, unemployment and starvation. And it keeps getting worse each year. read more »
Introducing Boileau
Boileau is one of many, many villages throughout the country sides of Haiti. There are about 1,00 poverty stricken families, most of whom live off the land. There is very little employment available. read more »
Health is the top priority
As mentioned previously, at the turn of the century the doctor and nurse who spent a few hours there every week, had to meet their patients and ply their trade under a tree. There was no building to practice medicine, or to keep their instruments and medicine; just a tree. read more »
Education provides hope for the future
When visiting Boileau in 2001, the Pilgrims saw a school which consisted of a tin roof supported by several poles. The students huddled under the tin roof trying to escape the sun’s heat and the rain. The priest asked for help. read more »
A critical ingredient in reducing poverty is Food
The Agriculture program is designed to assist people in making more productive use of their gardens. The vegetables and food from their gardens is the primary source of food for most of the villagers. The agriculture project provides hand tools, improved seeds, and instruction on more effective growing techniques. read more »
Micro Credit is a major tool for promoting self-sufficiency
A self-sustaining community needs employment, also known as: Economic Opportunity
You might remember hearing a lot about micro-credit when Muhammed Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize for establishing micro-credit programs in Bangladesh. Well, micro-credit also works in Haiti. The Micro Credit Facility is a very flexible form of help which provides loans to local entrepreneurs. read more »
Tilapia Fish Farming
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Provide a village with a fish pond and you feed them for a lifetime.
Over the past few years the Haitian Pilgrims of St. Phillip have worked to help the people of Boileau feed themselves with some agricultural programs. We have provided education, guidance, tools, seed and some livestock to assist this effort. read more »
Who are the People of Haiti?
Although Haiti averages about 302 people per square kilometer, its population is concentrated most heavily in urban areas, coastal plains, and valleys. About 95% of Haitians are of African descent. The rest of the population is mostly of mixed Caucasian-African ancestry. A few are of European or Levantine heritage. Sixty percent of the population lives in rural areas. read more »
Progress in Haiti - Ralph reports
Making Progress in Haiti
Good afternoon, I’m Ralph.I’m here to speak about what this community is doing in Haiti. And you are doing some good stuff. When I was there last September, I saw the progress you are making. I saw the difference you are making in the lives of the villagers in Boileau, Haiti. Also, the Bishop at Les Cays took time out of his schedule to meet with us, as your ambassadors, so he could express his appreciation for your help. read more »
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