Haiti

Beyond Just Recovery

 

 

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UUCSJ partners with the Papaya Peasant Movement (MPP) to offer journeys to Haiti.

 

Experience a week-long immersion to learn about just recovery models after the 2010 earthquake, and to support projects initiated by local communities
What Organization Does CSJ Partner with in Haiti?

CSJ partners with the Papaye Peasant Movement (MPP), which was founded in 1973, and organizes and empowers small farmers in Haiti to improve their living conditions. Today, MPP has more than 60,000 members. MPP’s major goals include helping Haiti regain food security, sustainably managing natural resources, advocating for women’s rights, promoting alternative energies, and building people-centered rural communities. Please read the resource listed below by Katelyn Leader for a more detailed description of MPP.

Since our founding in 2012, UUCSJ has worked closely with one of UUSC’s key partners in Haiti, the Papaye Peasant Movement (MPP). Over these three years CSJ brought 24 groups of volunteers to Haiti to learn about just recovery models after the 2010 earthquake, and to support projects initiated by local communities. These volunteers assisted our Haitian partners in building six sustainable eco-villages, which now house families from the refugee camps of Port-au-Prince. UUSC and many generous congregations and donors raised the funds to support this construction.

With the construction of the eco-villages successfully completed, UUCSJ & MPP have agreed to continue our immersion learning journeys with a new focus on the critical issues of food sovereignty and climate justice. Participants will learn first-hand about the impacts of climate change on the global south, the environmental damage caused by decades of colonial exploitation, and the leadership of rural peasant movements in advancing climate justice and global sustainability. In the words of Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, Executive Director of MPP, “Peasants are making a new road for humanity.”

We will work with members of MPP on their continuing “agroecology” projects such as building tire gardens, making natural insecticides, and helping in the seed nursery.

What Are the Upcoming Trips to Haiti?

** Please note that due to the political instability in Haiti, UUCSJ is not currently running programs in Haiti. If your congregation or cluster is interested in organizing a delegation with us to Haiti, please fill out this form and we can discuss when a program might be possible.

** If you are an individual that is interested in participating in a delegation, please check our calendar soon to see which open-enrollment journeys are available.

What Does A Trip To Haiti Cost?

Our Haiti journeys cost $1,500 per person, not including airfare. Additional expenses may include passport application or renewal and vaccinations.

UUCSJ is committed to making our programs accessible to all regardless of their financial situation. Financial aid is available for up to 50% of program costs based on need and is awarded on a first come, first serve basis. Please fill out the financial aid request section of the program application.

For additional fundraising we recommend that participants use Faithify, the Unitarian Universalist crowd funding website, which can help either congregations or individuals raise money to cover their costs.

If you have any questions, please contact us here.

Resources for learning more about Haiti:

Also recommended:

UUCSJ’s Study Guide, a resource for cross-cultural engagement

Haiti Blog: Read about participants’ experiences on the ground and after from a delegation in January 2015.

Haiti Blog: Read about participants’ experiences on the ground and after from a delegation in April 2015. This was our first interfaith journey to Haiti!

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Heather Vickery is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with UU congregations, State Action Networks, past UU College of Social Justice (UUCSJ) program participants, and regional staff in order to expand engagement in UUSC and UUCSJ’s work. As the Coordinator for Congregational Activism, she manages the workshop offerings and group visits to the UUSC/UUCSJ office and assists with communications for the Activism and Justice Education Team. Heather is an active member of the Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network and a dedicated dog-mom to her rescue puppy Nova.

Heather may be contacted at hvickery@uucsj.org and 617-301-4303