Empowering Haitian Youth Through Debate, Mentorship, and Human Rights Education

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Empowering Haitian Youth Through Debate, Mentorship, and Human Rights Education

march 23, 2025 | Ayiti Demen

The Joint Leadership Youth Initiative (JOLYI) is a collaborative effort among FOKAL’s Youth Initiative Program, Basketball to Uplift the Youth (BAL), and the National Human Rights Organization, providing educational, civic, and leadership opportunities for young people. Operating in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, Cité-Soleil, Croix-des-Bouquets, and Cap-Haïtien, the initiative focuses on youth in violent neighborhoods, schools, and juvenile detention centers.

JOLYI engages young people through human rights training, juvenile prison monitoring, tutoring, mentorship, basketball-based leadership development, and debate training and tournaments. These activities foster critical thinking, civic awareness, and personal growth, empowering youth to become agents of positive change in their communities.

FOKAL’s key component of the initiative is the Youth Initiative Program, which promotes debate as a tool for civic engagement. Through structured discussions, participants develop their analytical skills, practice public speaking, and explore complex social issues related to democracy, justice, and the rule of law. In 2024, with the JOLYI project, the program initiated its collaboration with BAL’s youth networks, enabling more young people to benefit from structured debate training and civic education.

In December 2024, an annual debate tournament was held in Martissant (Port-au- Prince), bringing together six teams from Fontamara and Carrefour. Given Martissant’s high levels of violence, this event provided a rare and crucial opportunity for young people to engage in meaningful dialogue. The theme of the 2024 debates—Haitian migration—enabled participants to explore the root causes, consequences, and potential solutions to this pressing issue, presenting well- reasoned arguments in a structured setting.

Across the country, 14 debate clubs meet regularly, with each group engaging around 20 young participants in preparing for tournaments, analyzing current affairs, and discussing social issues. Young debaters are also leveraging technology—such as blogs and text messaging—to expand their conversations beyond physical meetings, ensuring their voices contribute to broader public dialogue.

By combining education, mentorship, and civic engagement, JOLYI is equipping young people with the skills and confidence needed to build a better future. The initiative fosters collaboration among organizations and creates safe spaces where young people can develop their intellect, leadership skills, and commitment to social change.

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Funders, Join Us for the 6th Haiti Funders Conference in Boston, June 4-6, 2025

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Funders, Join Us for the 6th Haiti Funders Conference in Boston

march 23, 2025 | Ayiti Demen

The Haiti Development Institute, the Foundation for Knowledge and Liberty (FOKAL), the Network of Engaged International Donors, and Ayiti Demen are pleased to invite nonprofit organizations, development partners, family and private foundations supporting initiatives in Haiti to the 6th Haiti Funders Conference, taking place June 4-6, 2025, in Boston, Massachusetts.

This year’s theme, “Fertile Ground: Collaborating for Impact”  highlights the need for strategic investments and collective action to drive meaningful change in Haiti. Amid escalating insecurity, economic challenges, and evolving U.S. foreign assistance policies, this conference will bring together donors, investors, foundations, and development partners to explore effective funding strategies for Haiti’s long-term progress.

Why Attend?

Building on insights from last year’s conference—which gathered representatives from 123 funding institutions—this event offers:

  • Access to a powerful network of experienced funders with decades of engagement in Haiti.
  • Expert discussions on key issues shaping Haiti’s future.
  • Opportunities for collaboration to maximize impact.
  • Inspiration and pathways for collective action through strategic, coordinated investments.

Event Details

  • Location: Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor
  • Event website: https://www.haitidevelopmentforum.org/6hfc
  • Dates: June 4-6, 2025
  • Opening Reception & Dinner: June 4
  • Conference Sessions: June 5-6
  • Accommodation: A special group rate of $299 per night is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

This invitation-only event brings together major donors committed to Haiti’s development. Early bird registration is available for $650 until April 15; the regular rate of $750 applies thereafter. If you are a funder and did not receive your invitation, please contact the event organizers coordinator.at.haitidevelopmentforum.org

Register now using your invite code to secure your spot! A booking link for accommodations will be provided upon confirmation of your registration. We look forward to welcoming you to Boston for this important convening!

Read about the previous convening here: https://ademen.org/ayiti-demen-and-fokal-at- the-5th-haiti-funders-conference-in-washington-dc/

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Help Us Save the Citadelle Henry Archives Project in Haiti

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Help Us Save the Citadelle Henry Archives Project in Haiti

dec 2nd, 2024 | Ayiti Demen

Haitians call the Citadelle Laferrière (Citadelle Henry), commissioned in 1805 and completed in 1820, their 8th Wonder of the World because it stands as a testament to their victory over slavery. This landmark, constructed in the early 19th century following Haiti’s independence from France, is both a National Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage site, symbolizing freedom for all Haitians.

The Cap-Haitien Citadelle Archive Project is working to safeguard a diverse collection of analog materials related to this historical landmark, but they need our support to acquire up-to-date scanning equipment and continue digitizing tens of thousands of historical archives. Unfortunately, libraries, archives, and museums in Haiti are being targeted by gangs who destroy everything in their path. There is an urgent need to digitize these invaluable collections.

In collaboration with Le Centre d’Art in Port-au-Prince, Ayiti Demen is asking for your generosity to support the Cap-Haitien Citadelle Archive Project, which also partners with the Institute for the Safeguarding of National Heritage (Institut de Sauvegarde du Patrimoine National, ISPAN).

The project focuses on digitizing a vast collection of analog materials from the 1970s–1990s restoration project of the Citadelle Henry and the Sans Souci Palace. This includes 8,500 slides, 1,300 prints, 14,000 negatives, 865 architectural drawings, and more than 400 documents and reports. The project also aims to digitize, store, and make available all other materials related to ISPAN’s efforts to protect Haiti’s built heritage.

Preserving this irreplaceable archive, along with the documentation collected by ISPAN’s inventory programs of Haiti’s built heritage, will be invaluable for future generations of Haitians. The goal is to digitize these materials to protect them from the ravages of time and ensure they are accessible to the public. Digitization will not only preserve these documents but also allow them to be easily shared with researchers, students, and history enthusiasts worldwide.

You can explore some of the work on the UCLA Library website and the dLOC website (Digital Library of the Caribbean). However, your financial support is needed to continue this vital preservation work.

Donate online today to support the Citadelle Archive Project.

If you can only donate by check:

  • In Haiti, send a check to Le Centre d’art at 58 rue Roy, Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Memo: ARCIT) or email info@ademen.org for additional information.
  • In the United States, send a check to Ayiti Demen, 28 Bethune Street, New York, NY 10014 (Memo: ARCIT)
  • Worldwide: Donate online today.

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Giving Tuesday: Support the Haitian Farmers today!

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Giving Tuesday: Support the Haitian Farmers today !

dec 2nd, 2024 | Ayiti Demen

On March 1, 2024, armed gangs and other individuals looted the National Association of Fruit Processors (ANATRAF) offices and warehouse in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti. ANATRAF is a non-profit organization that helps hundreds of smallholder farmers grow fruit and process it in local workshops. On March 1, the unthinkable happened: armed gangs stole or destroyed all the finished products they had already processed (such as jams, chocolates, cassava, mamba, alcoholic beverages, etc.), all the raw materials (cocoa, alcohol, sugar, etc.), and all the materials and inputs contained in the store (mills, mattresses, refrigerators, control equipment, bottles, jars, training materials, etc.), including a stock of 7 tons of cocoa. This is a massive loss for a small non-profit organization like ANATRAF. It took them years to reach that level of organization and autonomy.

The proceeds of this campaign will temporarily help ANATRAF relocate its operations to the south of Haiti, sustaining 70 fruit producers. They can no longer work in their warehouse in Croix-des-Bouquets, which is overrun by gangs. The project will address the following key areas: Supply Chain Reconstruction in the South, Infrastructure Rehabilitation, Product Diversification and Value Addition, Community Engagement and Capacity Building, and Risk Management. 

Your donation will enable ANATRAF to mobilize its network of small fruit growers to supply two centers in southern and northern Haiti and rebuild its supply chain strategy.

ANATRAF’s relocation to southern Haiti offers lasting benefits. It will stimulate production by creating new jobs, benefit smallholder farmers in the South and North, and ensure the sustainability of ANATRAF’s activities. ANATRAF’s food processing role strengthens local nutrition and production in the country. By prioritizing sustainability across economic, social, and environmental dimensions, ANATRAF guarantees long-term development benefits for local communities.

Donate online today to support small fruit growers and processors in Haiti!

If you can donate only by check or wire:

  • In Haiti, send a check to FOKAL at 143 Avenue Christophe, Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Memo: ANATRAF)
    • Wire donation to FOKAL’s bank account: 

                                   Name: Fondation Connaissance et Liberté

                                   Address:  143 Ave Christophe, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

                                   Account number: 141-1022-1244226

  • In the USA, send a check to Ayiti Demen,28 Bethune Street, New York, NY 10014 (Memo: ANATRAF)

DONATE NOW ONLINE

More about ANATRAF:

The Association Nationale des Transformateurs de Fruits (ANATRAF) was created on June 12, 2002, by a group of thirty-seven processing units. In agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development (MARNDR), and with the support of the Projet Rural Franco-Haïtien, this initiative aimed to strengthen processing units to meet the significant challenges facing the processing sector in Haiti. ANATRAF specifically targets farmers in search of sustainable livelihoods. Thanks to the association’s various interventions and support, the country now has over a hundred workshops spread across the 10 regions of Haiti, 70 of which are ANATRAF members.

When we give, we give big

Building Community Centers in Rural Haiti_2

Building Community Centers in Rural Haiti

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Building Community Centers in Rural Haiti

april 05, 2024 | Ayiti Demen

Building Community Centers in Rural Haiti_2

Five rural areas in Haiti will soon have a community space where they can meet, relax, store seeds and goods, and learn. Ayiti Demen’s board chairperson, Michèle Pierre-Louis, led a delegation to several towns in the Grand Sud region of the country from February 13 to 17, 2023 to present and discuss the concept of these community centers with local residents and community leaders.

The idea for this project came about in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in August 2021, when several local organizations approached FOKAL for support in the rebuilding of their community. “It was difficult to build a house for each family,” said Madame Pierre-Louis during a community meeting in Barradères. “We wanted to do something that would serve the whole community.”

Building Community Centers in Rural Haiti

For now, five of these multi-purpose buildings will be built, with some already under construction. They will include training rooms, meeting spaces, performance venues, and lodging for community members. Andrea Panizzo, an architect who has been working in Haiti for 13 years, was selected as the design architect for the community centers. Two center models, incorporating typical Haitian architectural elements and using more efficient steel to withstand earthquakes, have been created based on community input.

The Open Society Foundation and SOKA Gakkai have provided the financial resources for this project, while local organizations have donated the lands for the construction of the centers. Mrs Pierre-Louis is calling for community involvement throughout the construction process. “It is a local effort, with local skills, for local use,” she said.

When we give, we give big

Ayitika: Crafting Fine Chocolate from the Heart of Haiti

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Ayitika: Crafting Fine Chocolate from the Heart of Haiti

april 05, 2024 | Ayiti Demen

Ayitika is a local company based in the southern part of Haiti, dedicated to producing high-quality chocolate from scratch. What sets Ayitika apart is not only its delicious chocolate, but also its commitment to fair wages for farmers and sustainable farming practices.

From the beginning, FOKAL has been a champion of Ayitika’s mission. They provided critical funding that allowed a group of young people to purchase 10 hectares of land, allowing them to grow more cocoa and expand their production. In addition, FOKAL stepped in with cash assistance after the devastating earthquake in 2021, helping farmers stay in business and ensuring the continuity of this impactful project.

Watch a short video to learn more about Ayitika’s journey and the power of supporting local communities in Haiti.

When we give, we give big

A group of women participating in a training program offered by Fanm Deside in Jacmel, Haiti. Photo by Reginald Louissaint.

Empowering Women in Haiti: The Story of Fanm Deside

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Empowering Women in Haiti: The Story of Fanm Deside

June 22, 2023 | Ayiti Demen

For over three decades, Fanm Deside has worked to support Haitian women in the South of Haiti by advocating for violence survivors, promoting financial independence, and providing education and training..

A group of women participating in a training program offered by Fanm Deside in Jacmel, Haiti. Photo by Reginald Louissaint.

A group of women participating in a training program offered by Fanm Deside in Jacmel, Haiti. Photo by Reginald Louissaint.

In the summer of 2021, a devastating earthquake followed by a destructive hurricane struck southern Haiti, leaving Marline Joseph, a 37-year-old mother of three, unemployed and struggling to rebuild her life after her home collapsed. In the midst of this despair, Marline found a ray of hope in organizations like Fanm Deside (Women Decide).

Marline reached out to Fanm Deside for help, and the organization responded by offering her vital financial assistance. “The money they provided allowed me to buy food and maintain my household during these difficult times,” she says with a sense of relief and gratitude.

A catalyst for change

Originally established in 1989 as “Fanm Deside Mete Tet Ansam” (Women Decide to Stand Together), Fanm Deside was founded by ten Haitian women and three Canadian nuns who shared a common belief in the power of women to effect positive change. Rooted in Jacmel, a town in the southeast side of Haiti, the organization set out on a mission to transform the lives of women in the country.
“Our goal is to transform the lives of women in our society.”
Marie-Ange Noel, Coordinator of Fanm Deside
Marie-Ange Noel, Coordinator of Fanm Deside. Photo by Reginald Louissaint
Supporting survivors of violence

At the heart of Fanm Deside‘s work lies a commitment to supporting survivors of violence, including sexual, physical, and spousal abuse. “Our trained supporters provide personalized assistance based on the survivor’s preferences,” says Nathalie Cadet, the administrator of Fanm Deside, explaining the organization’s approach. She continues, “In cases of physical or sexual abuse, we ensure they [survivors] receive immediate medical attention and obtain a medical certificate. If desired, we can assist with legal action, as we collaborate with a legal team to handle the legal aspects.” Furthermore, Fanm Deside provides a safe haven where survivors can share their experiences and offers temporary shelter as a space for healing and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

Educating for lasting change

Fanm Deside is also instrumental in helping women achieve financial independence. Its support includes the provision of funds for activities related to agriculture, livestock, storage, gardening, and the promotion of solidarity among women.
“We don’t just hand them [women] cash, we actually show them how to make the most of it.”
Nathalie Cadet, Administrator of Fanm Deside

A group of women attending a training program offered by Fanm Deside, Nathalie Cadet, Administrator of Fanm Deside | photo by Reginald Louissaint

With a grant from the FOKAL-Haiti Relief Fund after the 2021 hurricane, Fanm Deside implemented a program that benefited 160 women, some of whom received financial assistance to create economic activities. “We don’t just hand them cash, says Nathalie, we actually show them how to make the most of it. We also promote this cool thing called mutual solidarity, where they learn to save some of their earnings. It’s not just about benefiting the women themselves, but it also has a positive impact on their entire families.”

Education is an important part in what Fanm Deside is doing. In addition to assisting in paying school tuition fees for some women, the organization offers various training programs designed to enhance personal development and empower women to make positive changes in their communities. 

Marline has been an active participant in the organization’s activities, including culinary workshops and literacy training, for the past three years. She speaks proudly of her expertise in traditional Haitian cuisine: “I can make ginger powder, grated ginger, ‘pomad’, ‘kremas’, and even coffee and chocolate. […] I have acquired all these skills through Fanm Deside‘s programs.”

The vision for the women in Haiti

When asked about her vision for the future of women in Haiti, Marline emphasizes the need for respect and equality in the country. She dreams of a society where women’s rights are recognized and where gender equality is not just a concept, but a reality. Marie-Ange echoes these sentiments and stresses the importance of women’s participation in politics: “Women must have a seat at the table and actively participate in decision-making processes because their contribution is crucial.” Support our efforts to empower women in Haiti

“I have acquired all these skills through Fanm Deside’s programs.”Marline Joseph, one of the 2021 earthquake survivors helped by Fanm Deside’s financial and training programs
Marline Joseph, one of the 2021 earthquake survivors helped by Fanm Deside's financial and training programs | Photo by Reginald Louissaint

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Cafeì-Lux #01

Haitian Farmers Have Sold their Coffee at the Wrong Price. A Local Company is Changing That

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Haitian Farmers Have Sold their Coffee at the Wrong Price. A Local Company is Changing That

sept 08, 2022 | Ayiti Demen

With funding support from FOKAL and Ayiti Demen in 2021, Café-Lux, a social enterprise, is able to offer thousands of Haitian farmers better prices for their coffee beans and training in farming techniques to grow quality products.

Cafeì-Lux #01
Beniton Magloire, a farmer who has been growing coffee for more than five decades in the southeast part of Haiti.
Credit photo: Reginald Louissaint

Beniton Magloire, a Haitian farmer in his sixties, has been immersed in coffee for as long as he can remember. Not only is it the drink that kicks off his day every morning, but coffee growing has also been his family’s main subsistence activity. “As a kid, I would go to the farm with my mom every June, and she taught me everything about coffee.” 

So, it did not take Beniton long to figure out that he would become a coffee farmer. At only eighteen, he was already raising his crops. “Coffee is really what allowed me to get into business,” he says. He now harvests some 250 pounds of coffee beans a year on his own piece of land in Jacmel, one of the most forested parts of Haiti.  

Coffee farming has historically played a vital role in the Haitian economy. In the mid-20th century, Haiti was the world’s third largest exporter of coffee, and thousands of Haitian families rely on it as their primary source of income. The mountainous configuration of the land offers ideal environmental conditions to grow arabica, the world’s best coffee quality, in Haiti.

In 1949, Haiti was the world’s third coffee-growing country and most of the coffee harvested in Haiti is Arabica.
Credit photo: Reginald Louissaint

However, despite their hard labor, small farmers like Beniton have long struggled to enjoy the full benefit of the coffee trade. When Haiti was forced to pay $560 million for the “independence debt”  to France between 1825 and 1947, these funds largely came from charges imposed on coffee farmers. In addition, speculators often underprice their products and resell them at substantially higher prices in the international market. Baffled by this unfair practice –among other challenges, many farmers decide to replace coffee with vegetable crops, hoping to improve their economic opportunities.

"I wanted to create new opportunities for these farmers by purchasing their coffee beans at a better price so they can find decent revenues to provide education to their children and feed their families.''

– Remy Telfils, founder of Café-Lux

Remy Telfils, an agricultural engineer who also grew up in a coffee-growing family, thought he would change that. So, fresh out of college, he started in 2013 Café-Lux, a social enterprise that specializes in the production and marketing of roast coffee. 

“I wanted to create new opportunities for these farmers by purchasing their coffee beans at a better price so they can find decent revenues to provide education to their children and feed their families,” Remy says. “So far, we are on the right path.”  

Café-Lux operates with a network of more than 10,000 coffee growers of which Beniton has been a member for four years. The farmers receive an advance payment to sustain their needs during the production cycle, which can last up to five years.

But weather hazards are such a threat to coffee production in Haiti. When the tropical storm Grace hit the southeast of Haiti last year, Remy was a front-line witness to the devastation. “Many farms were destroyed, equipment was lost, and sites of farmers’ associations collapsed, he recounts. But we are building back now.” 

With the money raised from their earthquake relief campaign last year, FOKAL and Ayiti Demen offered a grant to Café-Lux so the company and the farmers could resume their activities. That funding, Remy thinks, makes a world of difference. ”We bought a giant coffee grinder, coffee packages, and equipment to produce seedlings to distribute to the farmers,” he says

Last year, Café-Lux produced about 10,000 pounds of coffee, most of which was sold as ground coffee or beans to different stores in Port-a-Prince, according to Remy. The company has made its debut on the international market with some distribution in Canada and the United States and featured an exhibition sale in Germany.

Cafeì-Lux #03
Remy Telfils, the founder of Café-Lux, a company that processes and commercializes Haitian coffee. Café-Lux is now doing business with a network of more than 10,000 coffee farmers.
Credit photo: Reginald Louissaint

With the funding provided by FOKAL and Haiti Demen in 2021, Café-Lux acquires a giant coffee grinder and other equipment. Its 2021 production was estimated at some 10,000 pounds of coffee.

But much more remains to be done. Remy says Cafe-Lux wants to repair the storage site and purchase an electronic coffee bean sorter to increase production capacity. “If coffee was used to pay the independence debt, that means it has a lot of value. Coffee can really bring money to the farmers and boost the country’s economy, but we need to give them [the farmers] resources so they can expand their production.”

"When we work together as farmers, we develop friendships, share ideas, and much more."

– Beniton Magloire, coffee farmer

It is, in fact, thanks to coffee growing that Beniton manages to raise a family of six children, some of whom are now college graduates. But more than just an economic activity, coffee growing, as he sees it, can also serve as a catalyst for social cohesion and strengthen communities. “When we work together as farmers, we develop friendships, share ideas, and much more.”

When we give, we give big