Just Haiti: Fair-Trade-Plus Haitian Coffee

Earthquake map of Haiti
Baradères and Les Cayes are many miles from the epicenter of the earthquake, but its effects are rippling outward in the form of refugees. (Base shake map from U.S. Geological Survey)

Just Haiti creates earthquake fund
January 23, 2010

All across Haiti, hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing earthquake-affected cities such as Port-au-Prince and Léogâne. They are traveling to towns and remote villages like Baradères, where friends or family will surely do all they can to feed, clothe, shelter and comfort them, and mourn with them.

Just Haiti is asking supporters to contribute to an earthquake relief fund for Baradères, home of the coffee growers who produce Kafe Lespwa. We will determine how to use the funds in partnership with the coffee growers’ association.

You can donate online at http://www.justhaiti.org/donate.htm. Contributions are tax deductible.

The growers will meet to decide how to use their own resources, including some of the association's profits from the sale of coffee. (Details available)

We are telling them that Just Haiti will support them in at least two ways. One will be to match any contribution the growers' association makes. Second, we will raise funds to meet other pressing short- and long-term needs in the community. We will deliver earthquake relief funds in person at the end of February, including any money we raise between now and then.

People around the world are flooding Haiti's earthquake zone and close-in refugee areas with desperately needed aid. But the earthquake's aftermath is now reaching remote rural communities like Baradères.

Since Monday, January 18, an estimated 100,000 people have arrived in Les Cayes, a city 30 miles south of Baradères, according to Fr. Pierre Pascal Pierre of Just Haiti. He said many are en route to more rural areas like Baradères and will need food, clothing and water. And many people are stuck in Les Cayes until they can find transportation. Fuel supplies are very tight, and transport costs have skyrocketed. A soccer field in Les Cayes has become a refugee shelter for people with broken bones and other serious wounds. At least three women have given birth since Monday.

Just Haiti program funds already in-country will be made available immediately to help transport earthquake refugees to their families in Baradères. (At this time, we cannot wire money into the country. We hope that situation changes soon.)

Like people all over Haiti, rich or poor, the coffee farmers and others in the Baradères community will do what they can to help those affected.

After the immediate emergency, Baradères expects to have a larger population. The community will have a greater need to develop a sustainable economy.

Coffee can be the anchor of that economy. Our supporters can help by continuing to buy Kafe Lespwa and remembering Haiti and her people as they enjoy their morning cup of coffee.

You can buy Kafe Lespwa online at http://www.justhaiti.org/buycoffee.htm. All sales proceeds always go to benefit the growers' association.

We plan to import more coffee as soon as the situation stabilizes and commercial shipping can resume.

Thank you for all you are doing to help Haitians recover from this catastrophe.

coffee Just Haiti works to alleviate poverty, hunger, violence, illiteracy and disease in Haiti by fostering small-business development, education programs, employment opportunity, infrastructure improvement and environmental quality. Just Haiti is a Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization.