Many Trees Grow in Marbial

Marbial is many things. It is a beautiful, tranquil place at the foot of the imposing la Selle mountain chain in South Eastern Haiti; it is also a stark reminder of the roots of the country's woes, but above all, it is an example of how communities in Haiti are finding the solutions to global problems.

Like many in rural parts of Haiti, Marbial's nearly 60,000 residents are subsistence farmer's who work hard to tweak out a living on land that has lost its arability from years of
agricultural decline. The area has no roads, no doctor, and only recently got cell phone service.

Marbial's residents are acutely aware of the problems they face as well as the potential solutions. Just ask the of personalities of Radio Semence Seed Radio: a community radio station built by and for the Marbial community.

Radio Semence has committed itself to reforesting Marbial and its outlying areas and to engaging the community in testing out solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems. Through community engagement alone, Radio Semence has replanted nearly 20,000 trees in two years. They understand that replanting trees alone is not the answer and that more is needed to offer farmers, women, and youth livelihood options that enable them to protect the community and be active participants in its development.

With this in mind, they are using their plant nursery to test traditional methods of grafting plants, identifying problems in production methods, experimenting with agro-forestry and value added products among other things. They are also developing radio programs to communicate with Marbilians on a broad array of topics and subjects linked to environmental protection, health, and education.

BT volunteers have worked with Radio Semence to create informative radio talk shows on women's health and nutrition. Supporting Radio Semence is an important goal for BT; and therefore, we have committed ourselves to recruiting volunteers with the expertise, vision, and creativity to assist Radio Semence in a short term capacity to meet its goals.

ARE YOU A RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER?

You love the thrill of being in a new place and revel in all there is to discover, but your travel is costing more than the price of a plane ticket or a hotel room. The ease and frequency of travel has come at a cost to the environment and to future of some of the most awe-inspiring destinations on earth, begging the question: what can we do to still enjoy overseas travel without sacrificing the very things that draw us to far away lands in the first place?

Our blog has always been dedicated to opening your mind to traveling to Haiti, and while doing so, to give you insight into meaningful experiences and volunteer travel opportunities that can forever change the way you look at a trip abroad. This week's blog was supposed to focus on responsible travel. But we thought responsible travel deserved more than one blog post, email or tweet. Instead, we are dedicating the entire month of August to responsible travel.

Why responsible travel? Think about it...most of the world is engaged in international travel for one reason or another, whether it's for business, a long deserved stint on the beach, or a visit to grandma. Even Haiti, which is officially off the tourist map, still packs planes full of volunteers, adventure seekers, and "Diaspora" returning home for carnival. All these travelers, even if going for 3 days or a year, have an indelible impact on the country through the interactions they have, the waste they produce, and the way they choose to spend their money.

Responsible travel is an attempt to mitigate the negative impacts of your travel, and can even be a valuable tool in undoing some of the damage that has already been done to some of your and our favorite places-not to mention the earth as a whole.

Ten Things You Probably Thought You Could't Do in Haiti

Insiders know that Haiti boasts pristine waterfalls, enchanting landscapes, a vibrant and prolific culture, and a people filled with the friendliness and warmth of islanders around the world. Yet, this tiny country of roughly 9 million is almost exclusively associated with poverty, political turmoil, and most recently, a devastating earthquake in 2010. Indeed, Haiti has more than its fair share of challenges; but to deny its natural beauty, cultural and historical accomplishments, is to deny its ability to forge its own future and to trap it in a state of failed interventions and economic and social dependency.

In recognition of the potential, hope, and beauty that still exists in Haiti, we have complied a list of ten things (plus one) that you probably thought you couldn't do in Haiti... but definitely can!

Go Paragliding: Outfitters in the beautiful village of La Vallee de Jacmel will help you soar off of the magnificent hills of this verdant region.

Scuba Dive: Marine life, history, (and maybe treasure?) await off of Haiti's northern and southern coasts. Guides are available for hire.

Visit Historical Sights: Haiti boasts a UNESCO world heritage site and many forts dating back to the pre and post revolutionary era.

Go Hiking:You can virtually hike anywhere once you have left PAP. For those looking for formal trails, try Le Montcel. You can also be adventurous and try the villages at the base of Morne La Selle.

Pitch a Tent: Blessed with endless mountains and rural landscapes, there are many options for camping. In some areas, you can stay with local villagers.

Appreciate Nature: The Pic Macaya region hosts a bird sanctuary and the Parc National La Visite, one of two national parks, has species not found any where else on the island.

Dance the Night Away: From compas, troubadour, zouk, to modern rap kreyol, explore the myriad musical forms and dance styles at play in Haiti's dance "clubs", which range from rural dirt floored huts to techno thumping night spots.

Be an Art Collector The bold colors and emotive forms indicative of Haitian art have influenced great artists the world over from Dewitt Peters to Andre Breton. Some even claim that much of the art sold in the Caribbean today originates in Haiti. From backyard workshops displaying voodoo inspired metal sculptures and decorative wall pieces to upscale galleries showcasing finer tableauxs, there are many options for art lovers.

Delight in Creole Cuisine: Creole cuisine is in a constant state of change and reflects the various cultures with which it has made contact: African, French, Spanish, American. Try the breadfruit fritters with the spicy pikliz and don't forget the rum punch.

Spend a Lazy day on the Beach: Many forget that Haiti is in the Caribbean, meaning it is blessed with blue water and sandy beaches. Because of little to no tourism, you can have a beach all to yourself -minus a few fisherman depending on where you lay your beach towel.

Connect with People The best part of traveling to Haiti is connecting with its people. In the countryside, friendly faces abound and welcome you home. Enjoy a cup of ginger tea with a few village elders and engage in a night of storytelling.

Discover some of the best of Haiti with us in December as we Re-Imagine Haiti.
http://www.igobeyondtravel.com

A Word or Two (or Three) on Buying Locally and Supporting Local Economies

A while ago, I stayed at a hotel with scores of international aid workers in Haiti. On my last day, I sat for lunch. As I started to think of what I could eat, I couldn’t help notice the group of volunteers sitting across from me indulging in what was a feast of Peter Pan Peanut Butter and Wonder Bread. Indeed, everyone longs for the comforts of home in challenging situations, especially the comfort foods. But this was not the case. The aid workers talked of needing to fill their nutritional needs in the face of plantains and rice filled meals. This was not the first time I had noticed this practice. Many foreign aid workers and visitors will bring with them items because they assume they will not be able to obtain them locally. Oftentimes, if they were to take the time, they would realize that many items, including peanut butter, are readily available in many flavors and varieties.

In Haiti, creating peanut butter is a family tradition passed on from mother to daughter and even to son. Peanuts are grown readily in the country side, and are a cash crop in parts of the country, including the southeastern part of Haiti where we work. Local peanut butter comes in many flavors, from honey to the traditional spicy peppery blend (my favorite). To avoid any potential hygiene problems in the production of peanut butter, one can purchase locally produced brands, which follow stricter standards, in the countries scores of US styled supermarkets.

Purchasing peanut butter locally means income for the farmers who grow it, the women who roast the peanuts, the mill owner who grinds the peanuts into a paste, the small businesses who have started producing it as a value added good in the face of fierce competition from imported agricultural products; and tuition for the children of these workers as well as the preservation of local culture and culinary know-how-not to mention a treat.

So when traveling overseas, especially with the purpose of helping, remember that you help just as much with where and how you spend your dollars as you do with your presence. Think before you bring and buy local as much as possible!

A NEW CLASS BEGINS

Waves of blue, khaki and green can often be seen flying across the beautiful hills of Marbial, a hilly rural section of Jacmel in the Southeastern part of Haiti. The multicolored waves are a meld of myriad brightly colored uniforms of local school children on their way to and from class. In these parts, it is the pride of every parent to have a child don a school uniform; though it is a huge struggle for most. And in Marbial fewer and fewer families are able to afford the meager $150.00 USD a year for average school tuition that would enable their child to wear a school uniform.

So once the school bells ring, “you often see many children hanging around the market place with no place to go and nothing else to do aside from helping their parents in the fields during the planting season.”, explains Father Bertrand Dieuveille who heads the St. Therese School in Marbial.

Many of these children are either orphans living with relatives or are from families who struggle to meet even basic needs. “So not only do these children face extraordinary challenges at home, but they also have the added burden of feeling left out as they watch other school children each day on their way to school in this small and tight knit community. “

Having witnessed the increasing number of these children every day, Father Bertrand took it upon himself this school year to start a series of new classes in two of the empty rooms of the St. Therese school. The classes are informal and completely free of charge. Fr. Bertrand hopes that with support, the classes can evolve and eventually offer a full curriculum and educational advancement to the children.

For the time being the children are taught basic reading, writing and math. Fr. Bertrand, who struggles to pay teachers for even the regular school because so many parents cannot keep up with payments, now struggles to pay two teachers and provide books and supplies for the two classes. However, he forges on and holds classes regularly for an increasing number of students.
The Marbial class is a response to a nation-wide need to provide educational opportunity to all children in Haiti. With over 80 percent of the schools being private and fee for service, this will surely be a daunting task. Yet, if Fr. Bertrand’s experiment is a success, it can be a model for many poor communities.

The classes still need a lot of support including: supplies and materials, curriculum development, activities development, and more. Beyond Travel is recruiting volunteers with backgrounds and/or interest in education, work with disadvantaged children to assist and support the development of the classes into a worthwhile program.

Five Things to Think About Before Volunteering in Haiti

Volunteers, both domestic and international, were an essential part of the early rescue, relief efforts in Haiti after the devastating January 12 earthquake. And now that the country is looking at long term rebuilding, volunteers will continue to play an important role. If you’re thinking of sharing your skills and embarking in a volunteer program in Haiti, here are a few words of wisdom to keep in mind before you go.

1. Not all Volunteer Work is Beneficial.
Immediately following the earthquake and still today, local people were being paid an average $5.00 a day by NGO’s, the UN and other agencies to remove rubble or do general labor. Though meager by most standards, these jobs were a valuable source of income for many. This example is important because volunteers should be assured that they are not taking potential jobs from local people at a time when so many are desperate for a source of income. Volunteers should know that they are filling in skills gaps that are not readily filled by local people.

2. Impact on Community
The very reason you choosing to volunteer and not spend your vacation at a resort is because you want to make an impact that will change someone’s life for the better. Not every volunteer position will do that. Before you go, ask yourself, how will what I am doing make a real difference today, tomorrow, and even years from now.

3. People Are Not Novelties
A few months ago, in a “tap-tap” I overheard a passenger complain “why are they taking pictures of us in our misery”, as an armored SUV full of international volunteers/workers drove by. Whenever one is traveling overseas, one must be mindful of respecting and preserving the dignity of local people, especially in a community facing hardship. The best way to do that is by choosing a volunteer experience that enables one to work side with local people to do the work AND to understand perspectives, the problem, the mission, each others roles, and the situation at hand.

4. You Are a Visitor Too
I’ve heard many terms for it: disaster tourist, voluntourist, etc. Whatever one calls it, there is nothing wrong with exploring while enrolled in an overseas volunteer program. In fact, it is an added benefit for both the volunteer and the local community, as long as one is mindful of the aforementioned points. Contrary to popular belief, Haiti was not destroyed. There are still many places left for visitors, from hip haunts, natural wonders, local hang outs, and let’s not forget the plethora of artisanal shops and artisans. Without the patronage from visitors, volunteers or otherwise, what will happen to these places, trades, and the people who depend on them for livelihood?

5. Sometimes You Do Have to Pay to Volunteer
People often ask: “why do I have to pay to volunteer?” Well, volunteering overseas is not like volunteering at your local library; it’s a big undertaking that involves a lot of logistical planning on the part of the receiving organization and entails big risks for both the volunteer and the organization. And because of this, there is a great financial cost to ensure safety and provide support to volunteers, so that they can do their work and have a worthwhile experience. Moreover, having volunteers share in the cost, allows more funds to be committed to the community project.

Volunteering in Haiti promises to be a great experience, a source of much needed skills, and an opportunity for more members of the international community to learn about the country. If you’re thinking of volunteering, there are many opportunities available with Beyond Travel.

TAKE A WORTHWHILE DETOUR IN 2010

Detours often lead to bold awakenings. Back in November, as I was returning from a meeting with a group of coffee growers in the remote village of Mabial, I decided to take a detour to the revered topaz pools near Jacmel. At the trailhead that leads to the aptly named Bassins Bleus, I met with two young guides who, barely out of their teens, knew every legend and infamous story behind each rock and tree along the path to the pools. Who would have thought that the river stone ruin that forms the entrance to the first pool is the remnant of a cross Atlantic love story. At the last and largest pool, my guides invited me to take a dive off the cliff above, but I decided to sit this one out and just take pictures instead. As I shot them jumping fearlessly off the cliff, I could not help but think of the old adage: “what doesn’t kill you certainly makes you stronger.” I thought of the first dive that my young friends ever took and understood that every dive taken by them since then had led to this last one, in which they appear to have been born of the water, submerging and emerging from it as dolphins in the ocean. Every past year, including 2009, which may have been the toughest for many of us, has been leading up to this one. That said, the New Year promises to be the year in which we can dive fearlessly in the world and emerge as one with it. For those of us who recognize this, let us harness the endurance, knowledge and strength that we have earned in past years to change lives, bring hope and share the promise of even better years to come.