Woman's Empowerment

HAC-Haiti strongly believes that empowered women are the pathway for development. It is our belief that when women are empowered they will make strides and create solutions that not only help themselves rise out of poverty, but help support their families, children, and communities continued development.  Many of our programs focus on educating and emancipating women from societal barriers. The woman’s program specifically draws from that approach by providing the opportunity, training, and venue for women to gather in unity.  Like the Haitian motto we believe that in unity they will create strength. Our women’s program participants are entrepreneurs, business owners, students, mothers, and grandmothers ranging in age from 16-70.  They meet weekly to discuss business strategies, issues related to public health, and to learn new techniques and trades to market.

    The women’s program has an elected governing body and holds weekly community meetings to discuss issues affecting their community and their individual families. The board is democratically elected and the women continue to participate in these meetings to ensure fair and efficient governance.

    HAC-Haiti supports the women’s group by providing trainings on issues effecting public health, child safety, and topics related to community development and income generating practices available to the community. Previous trainings have included a public health discussion on hand washing and hygiene following the recent cholera epidemic, infant and child CPR courses, and financial literacy trainings. 
    Currently we have over eighty women participants who are learning to embroider and crochet.  They receive weekly instruction and visit the compound three days a week to practice their techniques and make goods to sell in the market. The creation and construction of these goods allow the program participants to earn an income that could one day serve to support their family.  HAC-Haiti has recently received a donation of two sewing machines that will serve to start the women’s sewing project. Women are allowed to use the machines at the compound to learn to sew for the first time, learn new sewing techniques, and make goods to support their families and sell in the market.