Here’s the most important thing you need to know as we approach the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Matthew hitting Haiti: the storm may have caused damage, but it did not destroy hope.
That’s important to note because many news stories have focused on the destruction. It’s true that Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti as a powerful category 4 storm that caused flooding, mudslides and damage to homes and farms. And it’s also true that many affected communities were still working to recover from the 2010 earthquake.
But that’s only part of the story. The other part is how the unwavering compassion of people like you has allowed Lutheran World Relief to walk with the people of Haiti since 1997 – through multiple storms, the earthquake and, most recently, Hurricane Matthew. With your help, we’ve been working with farmers to improve their crops and income, so they can better face the future – even in the face of storms like Matthew.
This work isn’t fast or easy, but it does create lasting change. And so, on this six-month anniversary of Hurricane Matthew, we’d like to say THANK YOU for your support, and show you where we find hope in Haiti.
Etrenine Errilus can afford to send her children to school
Etrenine, 50, lives in the town of Falingant, in Haiti’s Northest province. Like many farmers, she saw widespread crop destruction as a result of Hurricane Matthew. With the support of our donors, she received seeds so to begin replanting. She has several plots on her farm, and says that her garden generates enough income to pay the full school fees for two of her five children.
Fisherfolk in Petite Paradise are fishing again
Hurricane Matthew caused particular devastation in fishing communities in the Northeast region of Haiti. Fisherfolk saw their boats wrecked, fishing nets shredded and equipment destroyed. With your help, we are working to help replace these items (and, as you can see, communities are also working to repair what they can). In addition to that, LWR was also able to install a solar panel to power a freezer, so that fisherfolk can store their fish until it is time to sell. Along with the replaced equipment, the panel and freezer will go on to help improve livelihoods and resilience long into the future.
Lionel Philador started a thriving coffee seedling nursery that supports her family
Lionel Philador is a coffee farmer living in Carice, in the northeast mountains of Haiti. For many years, she and her husband struggled to grow coffee, often selling their beans to a middleman for quick cash. When she joined the St. Helene de Carice coffee cooperative, an LWR partner in Haiti, things began to get better. Through training, she learned about all aspects of the coffee production process – including how to start coffee seedlings and managing a nursery. In fact, that one piece of knowledge changed Lionel’s life for the better.
Find out how by watching this video – and seeing how your support empowers farmers to build better lives.
Thank YOU!
Your support builds bridges between the U.S. and the developing world, helping to move families from survival to stability.
Thank you for helping us work toward the vision of a future where all people, in every corner of the world, can live full, dignified lives.