Nobel peace laureate and founder of the Grameen Bank Mohammad Yunus announced on Saturday that his development group will finance several social business projects in Haiti. These include two poultry farms, a plantation of jatropha plants (which can be used for biodiesel), a bakery, and a tilapia fish farm. The full announcement follows.
Lambi Fund is a respected NGO that supports Haitian community groups that are non violent, non partisan, and community based. At the 2009 Haitian Diaspora Unity Congress, Leonie Hermantin, Deputy Director of Lambi Fund, was given the 2009 Community Service award. Lambi Fund is involved in a number of different sectors, but it is really their work in sustainable agriculture and reforestation that won her this honor. Past recipient of the award include Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald and Wyclef Jean of the Yele Foundation. If you would like to learn more about Lambi Fund, attached is their 2008 annual report. The environmental and agricultural sections are copied below.
Last week, there was an announcement on Corbett's List that Lambi Fund had been awarded a grant by the Blue Print Creative Group. This grant will help them to cultivate brand awareness, increase volunteerism, and stimulate corporate and private donations. Americans are a generous people who make possible the work of scores of local and international organizations in Haiti. However, support is often more forthcoming for natural disasters than the heavy lifting (capacity building, civil society strengthening, livelihoods) that is needed to help people feed themselves, manage their own emergencies, and become active leaders, instead of just aid recipients, who can address social problems. We hope that this grant will help them get the word about what they do and why it is important.
