YOUTHAITI

Dear friends of YOUTHAITI:

The news of the recent earthquake in Haiti is devastating for all of us. We pray for all of the people of Haiti as we anxiously await word of the health and well being of our partners and their families in Haiti, as well as the several hundred families and whole communities that we directly support through our programs.

We are accepting financial contributions for the immediate relief efforts in Haiti and for the longer rebuilding efforts for the areas of Haiti hit by the earthquake.
The capital city Port-au-Prince and surrounding towns and villages suffered the brunt of the destruction caused by the quake.  Most infrastructure has collapsed.

YOUTHAITI works primarily in more rural parts of the island nation and expects that

many people will leave Port au Prince increasing  the need for relief, sanitation, and food in these areas as well.

Contributions received at this time will be directed at both
Immediate relief efforts and development efforts and will be split equally. Contributions are tax deductible.

YOUTHAITI is a Milwaukee-based charitable organization focused on developing ecological sanitation options and sustainable food
sources through composting toilets, community gardens, and community education.

To make a contribution, to learn more about YOUTHAITI, or to
join our efforts go to www.youthaiti.org.

For more information contact Gigi Pomerantz at info@youthaiti.org

News from Haiti has been difficult to get as much communication is cut off.  Fortunately we have heard from our Haitian board member, Marcorel Lisius, who was in Cap Haitian during the earthquake.  However, we have no word yet of the fate of Marcorel’s family in Port-au-Prince or the children at MABO orphanage that his family helps run.  Please put them all in your prayers.  I will try to keep you updated here or on Facebook.  Please join our Facebook group.

Hi all.  It is devastating and I worried for Marcorel and his family.  This event is also a moment to draw more people into the network of folks supporting Haiti .  A thought is that we put out a call for contributions which frames this as a recognition of the immediate need as well as a recognition of the need for long-term infrastructure development such as sustainable sanitation and gardens.  It is very likely that the coming weeks will see thousands of people leave Port au Prince for more rural areas making the increasing the need for toilets and food in these areas. The request could be something like an ask where 50% of contributions made to Youthaiti will be directed towards immediate relief efforts and 50% will be directed to toilets and gardens as need again turns to long-term development.

Just a thought.

GIGI FB  1/14/14

My friend Ernst is alive in Port au Prince My ‘family’ Lisius are all alive and well too!! My children in MABO orphanage are ALL alive and well! Thank God, thank God, thank God!!

Gigi FB 1/13
Please EVERYONE pray for Haiti, If you are in Milwaukee area, please contact me to help organize some way to help. I am going down in February.

Gigi FB 1/12
Prayers and worry for all my friends in Haiti and all the people of Haiti who don’t deserve to suffer again so much. Please give to YOUTHAITI for our recovery effort, or whatever organization you know of that does disaster recovery work.

Dec 5, 8:00 PM   4th Annual YOUTHAITI Benefit Concert

Please join us on Saturday December 5 at 8:00 PM at the 19th Street Coffee House as Harvey Taylor, Holly Haebig, Jahmes Finlayson and KT Rusch share their musical gifts with us. Every year this concert has gotten better and better.

We look  forward to seeing you there and Thank You for your support.

The Coffee House
www.the-coffee-house.com
631 North 19th St. (at Wisconsin Ave.)
Milwaukee, WI 53233
414-534-4612

Haitian Blue coffee now available!!

YOUTHAITI has partnered with Foundation Espoir Grande’Anse and Cafe de la Hotte to bring you a new coffee experience!  Haitian coffee is known for it’s rich, deep flavor.  Grown in the mountains around Duchity, the farmers lacked an export market until now.  As we partner with Foundation EGA and Cafe de la Hotte, coffee growers will receive Fair Trade wages, while YOUTHAITI and Foundation EGA will be able to invest in development in the area.  Historically organically grown, they will now have access to natural fertilizers provided by our composting toilets.

You can order Cafe de la Hotte ………….

Coffee farmers in Duchity, Haiti

Dear Friends,

It’s late June, and I’m finalizing my preparations for my sixth trip to Haiti in the last two-and-a-half years. I leave on July 11 with Liat, my daughter, and Annette, a computer specialist, and will meet up with Kenson, our Canadian student intern for a two-week visit to Duchity and Beaumont, where we will build more toilets including dry-composting toilets and Arborloos. We will work side by side with members of OJPDH during this time – establishing new connections for our future work.

I’m looking for bed nets to take with us; malaria is a serious mosquito-born illness that kills thousands of children in Haiti every year. We are hoping to bring small gifts to the children, including clothing, toiletries, linens, and towels. In addition to the work with OJPDH, I am also working on arrangements to do a clinic in Dufrene, a slum area outside of Port-au-Prince. Through MAP International, we’ve received free medications, and Liat and Annette will be my triage and pharmacy assistants. If anyone can help us with donations of vitamins for adults and children, along with Tylenol (acetophinomen) and Advil (ibuprofen) for both adults and children, I would appreciate it very much!

I look forward to staying in touch with all of you during my trip; I’ll be posting a new blog of my daily activities on this website. Thanks, everyone, for all your help! Gigi

Dear Friends,

Those of you who have followed my travels to Haiti in the past may have been disappointed to not receive any email updates while we were in Duchity.  Unfortunately, we did not have internet access during this trip, and did not have power much of the time either.  So here is a recap –

After a long day of travel from Port-au-Prince, we were greeted at the new OJPDH house in Duchity by the members of the board.  The house was painted and is beautiful!!  We all felt immediately at home!   Dinner was on the table prepared by our 4 wonderful cooks:  Frantzou, Veslie, Guerline and Laonie.  Our constant companion and guard was Mahens.  There is space for guests in Duchity anytime!  When are you coming down??
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It is exciting to see the work that is being done by the young people of our partner organization, OJPDH (Organization of Progressive Youth for the Development of Haiti).  As an organization of youth, they make tremendous effort and sacrifice for the improvement of their country.  We attended the inauguration of the 6th dry composting toilet at the market of Duchity, funded by Rotary Club – Milwaukee. IN the photo, Gerald Polyte and JeanEmy Elysee teach people how to properly use the toilet.  The mayor encouraged people to take the opportunity to change their behavior and keep the market place clean.  The construction and management is supervised by OJPDH.  We will charge people 1 goude (approximately 2.5 cents) to use the toilet and help pay for maintenance.  In this way, it will be self-sustaining.

We met with 6 of the young women of OJPDH in a separate meeting.   They dream of having skills that will help them become independent – first tentatively they asked for training in baking, cosmetology, sewing.  When I asked them to dream big about what they would want to do with their lives they answered -Nurse, Agronomist, Doctor, Secretary, Diplomat, Airline worker.  But their dreams are only that – dreams.  The opportunities for young women in the village are limited by poverty and lack of access to higher education.  But they are bright and enthusiastic, perhaps we can help make a difference.
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We also spent 2 days working in the demonstration garden in Plen Maten, which is near the public toilet there (can you see it in the distance in the photo?).   Our volunteer Agronomist, Alteus Jean Samuel, does an amazing job.  We helped plant carrots, spinach and garlic (brought from my garden in Milwaukee!) and prepared beds for cabbage. We also watched as women shredded cow manure with their bare hands to apply as fertilizer to the garden.  Handwashing is not easy, and did not happen before eating, as water must be hauled a long distance.  Education about it’s importance will continue to be a major goal of ours.

Alteus demonstrated a method called “miniset” in which one yam can provide 3 or 4 plants.  We also helped work on a terracing demonstration.  We saw a number of such terracing projects during our visit.  This will help prevent erosion and flooding during the next hurricane season.  Alteus has submitted a proposal to have an Agronomy student intern work full-time with OJPDH establishing demonstration gardens next to every toilet.  This would enable us to really show the communities in which we are working the double benefits of the dry composting toilets to improve crop yield.  They also could work on soil conservation and erosion control.

On Monday we hiked up to another area called Les Caves, deep in the countryside, where another group Alteus has been working with was planting yams.  And we saw a large work group of over 100 people hauling rock to do terracing.  We were able to leave a little money to help them provide some bread and sweet tea to the people working in the hot sun.
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We went to the National School where our first toilet was built in May of 2007, and did handwashing education and distributed soap to all the classes.  Most of the children told us they were using the toilethandwashing educaiton in school.

We had many meetings with OJPDH in Duchity and the neighboring town of Beaumont.   They are still in need of organizational development, which we hope another partner organization, FNJD (National Federation of Youth for Development), can help provide in the near future.   It was heart-warming to see their earnest efforts at resolving internal problems.   This work is not without its challenges, but the rewards are great.

So much work was also so much fun.  As we left Beaumont, snaking through crowds of people and animals during market day, we ran into the rear end of a horse!  Watch out Marcorel!!  Moments later, we saw a chicken escape off the back of a truck.  Quick! Marcorel jumped out of the car into the road and caught the chicken!  It accompanied us the rest of the trip to be given as a gift to the children of MABO orphanage in Port-au-Prince.  Never a dull moment!

After leaving Duchity, we spent a day in Les Cayes.  I mostly slept while Marcorel had the car looked at and Jacob and Deisha went to the beach!  In the evening we met with the Rotary Club in Les Cayes and I made a presentation of our project in Kreyol!  They were very receptive.  Now we hope to request a Rotary International matching grant to expand our work under Alteus’s supervision.

In between all the work and meetings, we managed to drink a few Prestige beers and a little Barbancourt Rum.  We danced a little, ate a lot and found ourselves at home.  A few pictures are included here, but you can look at them all here: http://picasaweb.google.com/gigi.pomerantz.

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This recap doesn’t feel like it captures the trip – it went by so fast.  After the team left, I spent 3 more days in Port-au-Prince with Marcorel and Ray and Jan Perry looking at water chlorination projects in the city and talking to young people there who also dream of access to toilets and clean water.  The ideas and potential projects never end.  I hope that your generosity will keep them all alive!

I’d love to hear from you – with questions, comments or ideas for ways for us to find funds to keep the work going.  Write me at  youthaiti@yahoo.com.

Donations to our 501(c)(3) qualified non-profit can be made out to YOUTHAITI and sent to 15380 Westover Rd, Elm Grove, WI 53122

Dear Friends of Haiti –

I have hesitated to send this letter out, and I’m not sure why. I continue to watch the news reports in the international press and Haitian press after the 4 hurricanes hit the island within 3 weeks time. Maybe you’ve seen them too. The devastation is overwhelming.

Photos were taken by my friend, Ernst Louis, president of the National Federation of Youth for Development. They went last weekend to the town of Cabaret to try to help out. The UN, CARE, the Red Cross and many other international agencies are overwhelmed and under-funded. The need is enormous.

80% of crops were destroyed. Tens of thousands of homes were destroyed – leaving people displaced. And thousands have died already. But more will continue to die due to lack of food and water, and inadequate access to health care. Malaria is rising, along with the usual diarrheal illnesses that come with flooding and filthy water.

I appeal to you to send help. Any amount will do. You can send to CARE or the Red Cross, and indicate it is for Haiti. Or you can send it to YOUTHAITI to continue our work of development including improved agricultural production, reforestation and sanitation. As you can see, the priority list has changed – from sanitation first, to food first.

In addition, we are working with 2 grassroots Haitian organizations who are working on the ground – FNJD (the one mentioned above) or AUMOHD – a human rights organization headed by Evel Fanfan. Both are giving hundreds of hours of volunteer time to people from places like Cabaret and Grand Ravine and the southern part of the country that are not making the news, or the relief supply lines.

$50 buys a bag of rice that can feed 40 people for a day. Another $50 will help buy cooking stoves and charcoal, oil and beans, and water purification so they are not eating just plain white rice from Miami.

I appeal to you to give generously at this time. Haiti will continue to be a country that needs our help, but never so much as now.

YOUTHAITI is dedicated to helping the youth of Haiti have a future. With your help, may it be so.

Gratefully,

Gigi Pomerantz
Founder and President
YOUTHAITI

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your support over the past year for SOIL* and the work I am doing in Haiti . I wish to provide you with a summary of what we have accomplished this past year and take a peek at our future plans. Many of you may have received the SOIL newsletter, but this is more about the work of OJPDH – Organization des Jeunes Progressistes pour Development d’Haiti.

With your help and support, one year ago I embarked on a journey with the youth of Duchity. They formed a community group known as AJPD – Association of Youth for Duchity. After learning about the work of SOIL and SOL**, together with Franci Polyte, the coordinator of AJPD, we visited their headquarters in Milot, in Northern Haiti . We saw examples of the ecological toilets they were building, and discussed their work in developing technology centers. When we returned to Duchity, we surveyed the current deplorable state of sanitation there and pledged to bring some changes to the village.

In May I returned to Duchity with Marcorel Lisius, National Coordinator of SOL, to build the first dry composting toilet in Duchity. After a successful inauguration, with many villagers in attendance, we evaluated our success. We decided to change the name from AJPD to OJPDH – Organization of Progressive Youth for the Development of Haiti. We set our vision high!

The youth of OJPDH planted a community demonstration garden in Duchity, and they dreamed of starting a national green youth movement. What would it take? They opened a little office along the main road where passing people could see their name. In July, they built the second dry toilet in the village by the bus station, so travelers through the village could use it. Little by little, word spread of the youth in Duchity working for change.

When I returned in December 2007, we built our third toilet at the orphanage in Duchity. We had our first meeting with the youth of Beaumont , who were anxious to join OJPDH. Now we are planning a first public dry composting toilet there. Other groups are approaching OJPDH as well.

Looking forward, OJPDH is planning at least two more public dry composting toilets. This spring, a training course on how to write proposals will be conducted to assist with funding. They have begun a tree nursery with hopes to plant trees for re-forestation. They have cultural events planned throughout the year to engage the community. And we have an invitation to send one or two students to Aprovecho Research Center in Oregon this summer to learn more about sustainable farming and forestry!

Your gifts have been put to good use! Now it is time for the next step. During the past year, SOIL and SOL have been our generous partners. But as we move more into youth development work, and expand our projects, it is time for us to be our own entity. So I am ready to launch YOUTHAITI – Youth Organization United to Transform Haiti. This will be an independent 501(c) 3 non profit organization to assist OJPDH in expanding a green youth movement throughout Haiti . It will provide training and support to youth ages 15 – 30 to learn sustainable technologies; open technology centers throughout southern Haiti to complement the technology centers supported by SOIL in the north; and continue to turn dreams into realities for a greener future for Haiti and those who will move it into the 21st century.

Winter 2007-2008 (Haiti) 095Winter 2007-2008 (Haiti) 095There is a long way to go until we have this process completed. SOIL has generously agreed to continue to be our fiduciary agent, so that your gifts can be tax-deductible.
I need your continued support now, more than ever! In addition to financial contributions to build more toilets and provide training and expand the work, I look to you, my supporters, for your expertise. I welcome suggestions about youth programming, about fund-raising, about sustainable development ideas you see in the news, computer help, about anything you think might be of use! I am continually amazed at what things drop from the heavens when I reach out my hand and ask!

I invite you to contact me by email at youthaiti@yahoo.com, or by phone at 414-351-2141 to discuss the future of YOUTHAITI.

Thank you for your support from the bottom of my heart. I never dreamed when I first went to Haiti 2 years ago where this journey would take me. And with your help, the YOUTH of HAITI will have a greener future!

With much gratitude,

Gigi Pomerantz
Founder, YOUTHAITI

*SOIL – Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods
**SOL – Sosyete Oganize pou Lanati
AJPD – Association des Jeunes Pour Duchity
OJPDH – Organization des Jeunes Progressistes pour Development d’Haiti
YOUTHAITI – Youth Organization United to Transform Haiti

Dear friends of Haiti –

Many of you have no doubt read the news of the devastation in Haiti after the three recent hurricanes in just as many weeks. Parts of the country are still inundated. Thousands of houses have been destroyed, there are still people waiting out the flood-waters on roof tops. Food stores have been destroyed. In a country where people are struggling to find enough to eat, the struggle just got harder.

The orphanage in Port-au-Prince where we were working and staying during our last trip had water in the yard and trees down. Fortunately, the house seems to have survived. But all the children were moved to higher ground in Petionville to stay with families there until the upcoming storms have also passed.

The dry toilets up in the mountains in and around Duchity have survived well. One advantage of the dry toilets is that they are above ground and hopefully the contents will also stay dry! We do not worry about them contaminating the surrounding areas at all.

I have not heard about the status of the Arborloos that were just built however. Those are shallow holes in the ground, and could easily have filled up with water. We will have to wait until things really dry out a bit to see.

Our partners in Haiti continue to plan some exciting projects, despite the weather. They are now working with an Agronomist who is volunteering his time to help them develop experimental gardens at everyone’s home – using different dilutions of urine on different plants. And developing the tree nursery as well, so that we will have trees to give to people when their Arborloos are full. The Agronomist has plans to develop experimental gardens at 3 different altitudes – sea level, mid-way up the mountain and at the top (Duchity is near the top). Hopefully we will have some data that we can share with others! They are talking to groups in other communities who are interested in building public dry toilets as well.

It amazes me, that despite the devastation, they hold onto their hope for a better future.

At this critical time, your help is needed more than ever! I hope you will continue to support YOUTHAITI, so we can continue to help the young people of Haiti. Please make your check payable to YOUTHAITI and send it to me, Gigi Pomerantz, at 6973 N Range Line Rd, Glendale, WI 53209.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Gigi