Participants: Mirlande Butler-Leader, Bridget Melien and Elisabeth Kennedy
Mirlande: seeks out support at any level to get people involved in communities where they have family or grew up through Eritaj Foundation
Haitians collaborating together to do more.
Technical in kind services
Starts with organization-publishing needs, ie. books, benches—find support
Encouragement for both workers in Haiti –voicing appreciation and encouraging Haitians to keep working—keep projects going despite struggles to find funding.
Eritaj
What can you give? What can you find? Bridget asks how can we encourage Haitian workers?
How do we involve them?
Dialogue through radio and TV
Without social services, very difficult
We need structure in education and training
How to run a business - Accountability for money
Transfer of skills to build a structure
We must teach Haitians skills to take over projects
However roadblocs are huge
Cultural norms, survival—must feel safe.
Elis asked how do we connect people from a community to a project—ie Haitian Americans want to support a project in their community not in one they do not know.
How do we create systems, networks?
1. Who is already doing it? 2. What is their willingness to do more? 3. How can systems be reshaped to include community organization?
How do we engage Haitians in US to give back? How do we begin conversations of families in Haiti? Do we start with organizations or community? Must teach duty responsibility as citizens—a culturally tough concept for Haitians
Discussed the medical clinic in Farcey—self sufficient in 2 years—how?
Bridget: there is a sense of pride and owernership in Farcey since beginning of our relationship-building trust communication and ownership.
Milan: must have leadership, forms for discussion and communication.
Discussed networking: Haitian-Americans with community projects—willingness to support programs in own community.
“Community center” vs clinic hosting different groups, different days –vocational training, art classes.
Developing partnerships, collaborating
Dreams for friends of Farcey—water and sanitation, environment, reforestation, education—how do we engage people to participate? Howe do we instill ownership in endeavor? Build a thriving community, find resources to sustain and resources, communication, trust and leadership.