The August Project Discusses Innovation, Development + Progress in Haiti
On the heels of the 10 year anniversary of the catastrophic Haiti earthquake, Ruth Jean-Marie, founder of The August Project hosted their inaugural event of their innovation workshop series dedicated to development in Haiti. You might remember Ruth as the passionate Creative who collaborated with Nike to create the “Uprising” sneaker, with 600 pairs of sneakers sold in 4 days. This conversation focused on solutions to encourage sustainability, economic growth and social impact on the ground of our beloved home country. In a brightly lit room decorated in true Haitian aesthetic with plants and trees, we sat in a circle and exchanged our thoughts on how things have (or haven’t) changed since the 7.0 earthquake that ravaged our side of the island.
“How does Mommy get her doum?”
The Socratic dialogue began with dissecting the interest many people had in donating to Haiti, but the dialogue quickly escalated into figuring where the pre-existing 500 million dollars donated toward Haiti relief had gone. Many generous groups donated to the Red Cross who in the end only built 6 homes with their 9-figure budget. The fact of the matter is, the Red Cross and similar charities are not obligated to distribute the funds to any specific cause. Your donation dollars can be allocated into “operational fees” or US based companies and there’s not much we can do about it.
What we can do is learn to trust one another when it comes to handling funds and resources. Few people in attendance expressed concern about whether the items we gather or funds we collect would actually make it to the right places. The highlight question was, “If there’s no one to trust, How does Mommy get her doum?” (A “doum” is a barrel usually sent from the US to relatives in Haiti filled to the brim with non-perishable items, electronics and clothing.) This was a valid question with only one realistic answer: be prepared. Several guests spoke about their personal experiences in giving back and emphasized how important it was that progress not be stunted by the fear of things going wrong. We have to do it scared, be connected with people on the ground, and stay 5 steps ahead.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
WHAT CAN HAITIANS DO?
When we began discussing the ways we can organize and execute our ideas, one of my biggest concerns were that with all our giving back, we’d become the colonizers in the relationship dynamic between Haiti and the Diaspora. With the natural desire to be philanthropic, we also had to acknowledge our privilege in living and working in the US. Going to Haiti with a “savior” mentality assuming we already have the answers wont benefit the Haitian people. In order to truly make a difference, we agreed there is an un-learning that’s required of all us. Haitians don’t need saving, they need to be heard so we can assist as they do the work on their own. When it comes to supporting the Haitian economy, its better to invest than it is to send our money. We invest by supporting businesses in Haiti. The more money that circulates becomes the more money that’s available for them to use, and ultimately the better they can sustain themselves.
We did touch base on other “isms” that affect the development of Haiti (ie. capitalism, colorism, elitism, racism,) but ultimately I would say our conversation was extremely progressive. Guests were able to connect, exchange valuable information, and come up with new ideas all for the betterment of our cherie Ayiti. Special thanks to Ruth for doing the good work of bringing passionate minds together and to the partner of The August Project, Haitian American Caucus.
You can donate to The August Project via The Haitian American Caucus here,. Be sure to mention The August Project in the notes to ensure funds are distributed properly.
Thanks for reading, and thank you in advance for supporting!
Eve