mission and purpose
The mission of EcoCafé Haiti is threefold: to enable economic self-sufficiency in rural Haiti by cultivating/processing and exporting quality Haitian coffee; to cultivate land for food (corn, beans, manioc, peanuts, fruit/leguminous trees); and to restore the heavily deforested ecological environment to good health. So, by purchasing our coffee, the interrelated problems of rural Haiti—economic, societal, and environmental problems—are solved simultaneously and holistically, not piecemeal. Additionally, the problems are solved by the rural Haitian community, not by those outside the community.
how the company works
The company employs up to 25 full-time local workers who are paid fair wages to cultivate land that is deforested and deemed unsuitable for cultivation. This land is owned by local Ranquitte citizens who are largely incapable of cultivating the land on their own (i.e., the aged, infirmed, widowed, etc.). The land is cultivated with food crops, fruit/nut trees, and Haitian Arabica Typica coffee. In return for receiving the food and coffee crops, the landowners agree to have their land restored back to a healthy state, to leave the crops/trees undisturbed, and to learn proper agriculture cultivation practices. Additionally, each farmer family benefits from the sale of the coffee to the company at or above fair trade prices.
An additional ~25 seasonal workers are employed at fair wages to harvest and process the coffee during the annual August-December harvest season. The proceeds from the sale of coffee will be sufficient to pay for on-going operating expenses (cherry coffee, labor, transportation, supplies, etc.), to provide a modest return to the workers and landowners, and to expand the program into neighboring communities. As a result, economic self-sufficiency will be realized once the volume of green coffee approaches "shipping container size" volume.
program benefits to date
- Approximately 500-1,000 Haitians have been made food secure, no longer surviving on hand outs, food scraps, and marginal crop harvests.
- Over 300 Haitian farmer families have benefited from the on-going purchase of cherry coffee at or above fair trade prices, providing a modest income and the ability to pay for the necessities of life (food, medicine, education, housing, etc.).
- Approximately 100 acres of land have been fully restored to a healthy state with trees and crops, thus eliminating the environmental effects of runoff, silted streams, deforestation, and soil erosion.
- An on-going business enterprise has been established (coffee cultivation and processing), owned and managed entirely by the Haitian workers and landowners.
- A workforce of up to 25+ employees has been paid fair wages to support their families.
- As one of the few requirements of the landowners, each landowner has agreed to donate a specified portion of their food crop to the local church for the benefit of the “poorest of the poor” in the community.
funding and donations
The program has required funding during the first six years of its life. After that time, donations are no longer expected to be required for the coffee operations since the program “pays for itself” through the export sale of the coffee. Donations have been received from individuals, corporations, churches, and foundations. 100% of all donations go directly to the program (purchase of cherry coffee, wages, seed stock, supplies, tools, equipment, transportation, and facilities). No donation money goes toward marketing, administration, or fundraising—all of which is provided voluntarily. All donations are tax deductible.
To send a tax deductible donation for EcoCafé Haiti, send a check to:
Christian Flights, International
404 Koa Court
Berea, Kentucky USA 40403
(Write “EcoCafé Haiti” in the memo section of your check to ensure that your donation goes to EcoCafé Haiti)
For more information about Christian Flights, International, go to
www.christianflights.org