Lambi Fund Of Haiti

THE LAMBI FUND'S MISSION IS TO WORK WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS IN HAITI TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO CHANGE THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF RURAL COMMUNITIES IN A CONTEXT OF DEMOCRACY, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. THE LAMBI FUND OF HAITI SETS ITS PRIORITY FOCUS ON RURAL FARMING. THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, ENVIRONMENT, ALTERNATIVE ECONOMY, AND TRAINING/CAPACITY BUILDING/ADVOCACY. THE LAMBI FUND SUPPORTS THE SPECIFIC PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND IN ADDITION PROVIDES TRAINING AND EDUCATION SPECIFIC TO EACH PROJECT TO BUILD ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND SKILL SETS NEEDED FOR LONGEVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.

EMERGENCY/DISASTER RELIEF- ON AUGUST 14, 2021, ONCE AGAIN HAITI EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHE. A MAGNITUDE 7.2 EARTHQUAKE STRUCK THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY, LEAVING MORE THAN 2,200 PEOPLE DEAD, 12,200 INJURED, AND MORE THAN 50,000 HOMES AND OTHER FACILITIES DESTROYED. IN THE AREA AFFECTED BY THE EARTHQUAKE, LAMBI FUND SERVES 60 ORGANIZATIONS, WITH AN AVERAGE OF 100 MEMBERS PER ORGANIZATION, IN 11 DISTRICTS. ALMOST ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS SUSTAINED LOSSES RESULTING FROM THE DISASTER AND CONTACTED LFH FOR ASSISTANCE, AS THEY ARE ACCUSTOMED TO DOING IN THE EVENT OF SUCH NATURAL DISASTERS. FORMAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS RECEIVED FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEASANT ORGANIZATIONS SERVED BY LAMBI REVEAL THE DEATH OF 76 MEMBERS; 1,687 HOUSES DEMOLISHED; 2,729 DAMAGED; AND 279 INJURED, INCLUDING 15 WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. ADDITIONALLY, MANY PROJECTS LOST THEIR MILL HOUSES AND NURSERY PERGOLAS. MANY IRRIGATION SYSTEMS THAT ALLOWED MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATIONS TO CULTIVATE CROPS, WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. OTHER ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS WOMENS TRADE FELL FLAT BECAUSE MANY OF THE MEMBERS LOST EVERYTHING WHEN THEIR HOMES COLLAPSED AND SOME RAN AWAY FROM THEIR MERCHANDISE AT THE LOCAL MARKET WHEN THE EARTHQUAKE HIT. SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER BECAME MUDDY. BASED ON THE ASSESSMENTS, LAMBI FUND LAUNCHED AND IMPLEMENTED A 3-PHASE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR ASSISTANCE RESULTING FROM LOSSES INCURRED DURING THE EARTHQUAKE. PHASE 1- EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE: LAMBI FUND PROVIDED TARGETED ORGANIZATIONS WITH FINANCIAL MEANS TO ASSIST THEIR MEMBER VICTIMS WITH URGENT SURVIVAL GOODS IN THE FORMS OF FOOD, DRINKING WATER, FIRST AID KITS, SELF-CARE PRODUCTS, TARPS, AND VERY SIMPLE MATERIALS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF TEMPORARY, VERY RUDIMENTARY SHELTERS. THIS PHASE HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED WITH 150,000 BENEFITTING 2,209 MEMBERS OF 34 PEASANT ORGANIZATION. ALL FUNDS WENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEASANT ORGANIZATIONS. PHASE 2. REHABILITATION (PARTIAL IMPLEMENTATION): IN NOVEMBER 2021, LAMBI MADE AVAILABLE 90,000 TO SMALL FARMERS AND WOMEN PROJECTS OF ITS PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP THEM RESUME THEIR ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES. THESE FUNDS ALLOWED THE SMALL FARMERS TO RESUME PRODUCTION OF FAST-GROWING CROPS (BEANS, BELL PEPPERS, ONIONS, SWEET POTATO, CORN, PEANUT, TOMATO) TO COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY IN THE AREA; AND SOME WOMENS ORGANIZATIONS WITH SMALL TRADE PROJECTS TO RELAUNCH THEIR ACTIVITIES BY REPLACING MERCHANDISE THAT WAS LOST DURING THE EARTHQUAKE. A TOTAL OF 478 MEMBERS OF ORGANIZATIONS BENEFITTED SO FAR FROM THIS PROGRAM: 352 FARMERS FROM 16 PEASANT ORGANIZATIONS AND 126 WOMEN FROM 6 ORGANIZATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE DAMAGE OF THE IRRIGATION AND POTABLE WATER SYSTEMS CAUSED BY THE EARTHQUAKE, LAMBI MADE THE DECISION TO PROVIDE WATER TOWERS FOR ITS PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE MOST SEVERELY AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM, AS THIS SYSTEM WAS THE MOST EXPEDIENT TO IMPLEMENT AND COST EFFECTIVE DURING THAT TIME. THE IDEA IS TO COLLECT RAIN WATER TO BE FILTERED FOR DRINKING. AS LAMBI DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO DEDICATE TO THIS PROJECT, THE MONITORS CHOSE ONLY 2 AMONG ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS TO BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM FOR A TOTAL COST OF 30,000 FOR 20 WATER TOWERS. THE 2 ORGANIZATIONS ARE RPP AND AFGDL. EACH WATER TOWER HOLDS 1000 GALLONS. MORE THAN 300 MEMBERS OF THE 2 ORGANIZATIONS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE WATER FROM THE TOWERS. SOME OF THE TOWERS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE AT THIS TIME AND ARE COLLECTING RAIN WATER. THE TRANSPORTATION AND INSTALLATION OF THE REMAINING TOWERS ARE COMPLETED IN 2022, ALONG WITH PLAN FOR INSTALLATION OF WATER FILTRATIONS SYSTEMS. PHASE 3 RECONSTRUCTION- (TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN 2022).

ENVIRONMENT: PLANTING TREES HELPS RECOVER THE DEPLETED HAITIAN TERRAIN FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. HAITI IS STILL CONSIDERED THE MOST DEFORESTED COUNTRY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. PLANTING TREES NOT ONLY IMPROVES THE LAND AND SOIL TO ASSIST FARMERS WITH PLANTING, BUT IT ALSO PREVENTS NATURAL DISASTER LIKE LAND/MUD-SLIDES FROM OCCURRING. THROUGHOUT 2021, LAMBI FUND OF HAITI CONTINUED TO PROVIDE ITS ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THE AIM IS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE ISSUES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AND ALSO TO TAKE CONCRETE ACTION TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. ACTIONS HAVE MAINLY FOCUSED ON: 1) TREE SEEDLING PRODUCTION TO ASSIST IN REFORESTATION AND 2) TRAINING PROGRAMS WHICH ARE FOCUSED ON THE ENVIRONMENT: TREE NURSERY TECHNIQUES, CLIMATE CHANGE, AGRO-FORESTRY). 16 ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM LAMBI FUND IN 2021. MORE THAN 3,500 PEASANT MEMBERS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATED IN ALL THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT UNDER THESE PROJECTS, WITH EACH PARTICIPANT RECEIVING 50-60 SEEDLINGS ON AVERAGE AT DISTRIBUTION TIME. NON-MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY ALSO RECEIVED SEEDLINGS AT DISTRIBUTION TIME IN 2021, A TOTAL OF 320,000 SEEDLINGS WERE PRODUCED. ORGANIZATIONS GENERALLY PRODUCE FRUIT AND FOREST TREES (80% FOREST, 20% FRUIT). AMONG THE FOREST TREES YOU FIND CEDAR, CASSIA, CHESTNUT, ACACIA, MORINGA, PINE AND MAHOGANY TREES. IN THE FRUIT TREES YOU FIND MAINLY SOURSOP, TAMARIND, CHERRIES, BREADFRUIT, COFFEE, PAPAYA, ORANGE, GRAPEFRUIT, LEMON, MANGO, AND AVOCADO. CACAO AND COFFEE WERE PRODUCED. ORGANIZATIONS DISTRIBUTE THESE SEEDLINGS TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS BUT ALSO TO GATHERING PLACES IN THE COMMUNITIES SUCH AS SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES. THESE SEEDLINGS ARE USED TO REPLENISH SPACE THAT IS NEEDED FOR EITHER AGROFORESTRY OR SMALL COMMUNITY FORESTS OF APPROXIMATELY 5-10 HA. TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THESE TASKS DURING THE YEAR, THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE SUPPORTED BY LAMBI FUND'S STAFF, PARTICULARLY THE REGIONAL MONITORS WHO ASSIST IN THE PLANNING / IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL PROJECT ACTIVITIES. A TEAM OF NURSERY TECHNICIANS ALSO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE NECESSARY GUIDANCE IN SEEDLING PRODUCTION IN NURSERIES, IN DISTRIBUTION, IN PLANTING AND IN MONITORING TREES. ONE TRAINING IN PRODUCTION OF SEEDLINGS WAS PROVIDED.

ALTERNATIVE ECONOMY-- THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO REINFORCE EXISTING LOAN FUNDS USUALLY BEGUN BY THE MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, SO TO IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO CREDIT. IT ALSO ALLOWS PARTNERS TO ESTABLISH OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME INCREASING THEIR REVENUE STREAM. IN 2021 LAMBI FUND CONTINUED TO MONITOR A CREDIT FUND THAT STARTED WITH 50 BENEFICIARIES BUT EXPANDED TO 365 BENEFICIARIES (264 WOMEN, 101 FARMERS) OVER 3 YEARS +. SOME OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE CREDIT FUND HAVE DOUBLED THE AMOUNT RECEIVED. THE BENEFICIARIES ARE REIMBURSING THE FUND IN 4 INSTALLMENTS (EVERY SIX MONTHS FOR THE FARMERS,) AND MONTHLY INSTALLMENT FROM THE WOMEN CREDIT FUND. THE MONEY REIMBURSED GOES TOWARDS INVESTMENT IN NEW CREDIT FUNDS AND/OR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SAME ORGANIZATIONS WHO DID NOT RECEIVE FUNDS DURING PREVIOUS ALLOCATIONS. THE SMALL ENTERPRISES HELP STABILIZE FAMILIES AND BRING IN MUCH NEEDED INCOME TO REDUCE POVERTY. THE CREDIT LOAN PROGRAMS FOR PLANTERS PROVIDES PARTNERS TO BORROW MONEY AT A FAIR INTEREST RATE SO THAT THEY CAN BUY THE SEEDS, TOOLS, AND OTHER ITEMS NEEDED FOR SUCCESSFUL CROPS. THE ADDED MONEY TO INCREASE CROP PRODUCTION IMPROVES PARTNERS ABILITY TO SELL MORE GOODS, AND ENHANCES FOOD SECURITY.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS IN 2021 THAT COMPRISES OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN THE FORM OF OX-PLOWING, MILLS, PRODUCTION OF GRAINS AND LEGUMES, CREDIT TO PLANTERS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY WITH GOAT BREEDING PROJECTS. EACH PROJECT IMPROVES PARTNERS' LIVELIHOOD AND INCOME. THOSE PROJECTS NOT ONLY BENEFIT THE MEMBERS OF THE PEASANT ORGANIZATIONS THEY ALSO BENEFIT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE/OTHER. THE USE OF OX-PLOWS ALLOWS THE FARMERS TO MAKE FASTER PREPARATION OF LAND FOR PLANTING, AND INCREASE IN CROP YIELD. IN 2021, LAMBI FUND CONTINUED TO MONITOR 1 ORGANIZATION (OPADESH) WITH OX-PLOW PROGRAM. THE OX-PLOWING WORK WAS EFFECTIVE FOR SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR DURING THE PLANTING SEASON (JUNE-NOVEMBER), YIELDING TO PRODUCTION OF RICE, CORN, LEGUMES, CASSAVA, MILLET. A PORTION OF THE PRODUCTION WAS SOLD TO GENERATE INCOME AND THE REMAINING PART IS KEPT STORAGE, WHICH ADDED BENEFITS TO THE FARMERS WHO HAVE GRAIN AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING PLANTING SEASON. 13 MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION RECEIVED OX- PLOW SERVICES. LAMBI FUND ALSO CONTINUED TO MONITOR THE CREDIT FUND PROGRAM OF THAT ORGANIZATION. THE CREDIT FUND UNDER THIS PROJECT BENEFITTED 98 ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS THIS YEAR (30 FARMERS, 68 WOMEN). THE WOMEN CREDIT FUND AND THE FARMERS CREDIT FUND INCREASED TO 3,100 AND 8006, RESPECTIVELY. ONE ORGANIZATION IN THE SOUTH (ODRO) INCURRED DAMAGE TO THEIR MILLS DURING THE EARTHQUAKE. PART OF THEIR GRANT FUNDS UNDER THE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM WILL BE USED FOR THE REPAIR OF THE MILLS TO RESTART THE PRODUCTION OF PROCESSED GRAINS. THE CENTER OF PLANTAIN PROPAGATION (CPP,) A CORE PROJECT OF LAMBI FUND PRODUCED 1,000 SEEDLINGS OF PLANTAIN, DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN 2 ORGANIZATIONS. ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. THE GOAT BREEDING PROJECTS ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN ALLOWING PARTNERS TO GAIN INCOME AND ECONOMIC VERSATILITY. GOATS CAN BE USED AS A FOOD SOURCE SUCH AS MILK, CHEESE, AND MEAT FOR PERSONAL USE OR SOLD. WHEN THE GOATS BEGIN TO HAVE OFFSPRING, THOSE CAN BE SOLD OR USED TO GROW THE PARTNERS' FOOD SOURCE ENTERPRISE. THE LAMBI FUND CONTINUED TO MONITOR 1 ORGANIZATION (AFVF) WITH GOAT BREEDING PROGRAM AND IN NOVEMBER 2021, LAMBI FUND LAUNCHED A NEW PROJECT WITH 1 ORGANIZATION (MPPDSCA). AS OF THE END OF THE YEAR, THE COUNTS OF GOATS FOR AFVF AMOUNTED TO A TOTAL OF 600. THE NEW GOATS, ADDED TO YIELDING OF PREVIOUS HERDS OF GOATS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO 220 MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION. UNDER THE NEW PROJECT, 70 GOATS (64 FEMALES, 6 MALES) WERE PURCHASED AND DISTRIBUTED TO 6 ZONES. A DEDICATED TEAM FOR EACH ZONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TO OVERSEE THE GOAT BREEDING PROGRAM, BUT ALL MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION PARTICIPATE IN FEEDING THE GOATS. A VET TECHNICIAN WAS HIRED BY THE ORGANIZATION TO HELP CARE FOR THE GOATS.