In partnership with organizations in both Minnesota and Haiti, we have invested in community infrastructure for Moreau, through our primary business operations and our additional investments. Through our dedicated Community Development Fund and Agricultural Development Fund, we collaborate with the farmers association in Moreau to support local infrastructure and economic development projects that they identify as priorities for the community.
Community Development Fund
Each year, we distribute a portion of our revenue back to the Farmers’ Association in Moreau to support projects that benefit the broader community; this extends beyond the income that the farmers receive for selling their raw honey and beeswax to us each year. Our executive team and board of directors are not involved in how the funds are used, to ensure that the community has autonomy to invest in infrastructure, services, and resources that fit their local needs.
Installing solar panels on the roof of the community school
At the end of 2018, we reached out to our supporters to raise funds for a solar array and batteries for MIJABA’s K – 8 school in Moreau. Dr. Jeff and the farmers’ association identified the school as an ideal place for solar panels, since it functions as an important community gathering place — supporting hundreds of students and families around the region.
In September 2019, we worked with Dr. Jeff to purchase and install solar panels, batteries, and inverters on the roof of the building. We purposefully chose this setup to ensure easy expansion of panels and batteries in the future. Solar panels are an efficient, sustainable source of energy in the community that allow community members to charge their cell phones consistently; mobile devices are critical for access to health services, markets, education, banking, and civic life for those living in rural Haiti. We plan to continue adding to the solar array in coming years, growing the local infrastructure and opportunities for farmers and their families.
Adding tile flooring to a local community center
In 2020, the farmers in Moreau decided to use our annual community development funding to purchase and install floor tiles in a local community center. This region of Haiti is prone to heavy rains and flooding, so permanent flooring in this concrete building is critical for keeping the space durable and safe for years to come.
Supporting a pilot microcredit program for farmers in the region
In 2021, the farmers in Moreau decided to use the annual community development funding to launch a pilot microcredit program. This program, administered by Dr. Jeff Losier and the farmers’ association in Moreau, extended credit to local farmers to purchase equipment, seeds, and other farming investments in order to expand their operations and produce more crops. We are proud to support this budding program and look forward to seeing the effects of these financial investments in the community.
Community Development Fund
Each year, we distribute a portion of our revenue back to the Farmers’ Association in Moreau to support projects that benefit the broader community; this extends beyond the income that the farmers receive for selling their raw honey and beeswax to us each year. Our executive team and board of directors are not involved in how the funds are used, to ensure that the community has autonomy to invest in infrastructure, services, and resources that fit their local needs.
Installing solar panels on the roof of the community school
At the end of 2018, we reached out to our supporters to raise funds for a solar array and batteries for MIJABA’s K – 8 school in Moreau. Dr. Jeff and the farmers’ association identified the school as an ideal place for solar panels, since it functions as an important community gathering place — supporting hundreds of students and families around the region.
In September 2019, we worked with Dr. Jeff to purchase and install solar panels, batteries, and inverters on the roof of the building. We purposefully chose this setup to ensure easy expansion of panels and batteries in the future. Solar panels are an efficient, sustainable source of energy in the community that allow community members to charge their cell phones consistently; mobile devices are critical for access to health services, markets, education, banking, and civic life for those living in rural Haiti. We plan to continue adding to the solar array in coming years, growing the local infrastructure and opportunities for farmers and their families.
Adding tile flooring to a local community center
In 2020, the farmers in Moreau decided to use our annual community development funding to purchase and install floor tiles in a local community center. This region of Haiti is prone to heavy rains and flooding, so permanent flooring in this concrete building is critical for keeping the space durable and safe for years to come.
Supporting a pilot microcredit program for farmers in the region
In 2021, the farmers in Moreau decided to use the annual community development funding to launch a pilot microcredit program. This program, administered by Dr. Jeff Losier and the farmers’ association in Moreau, extended credit to local farmers to purchase equipment, seeds, and other farming investments in order to expand their operations and produce more crops. We are proud to support this budding program and look forward to seeing the effects of these financial investments in the community.
Agricultural Development Fund
In 2022, our executive team and board of directors decided to expand our financial commitments to the farmers in Moreau by creating an additional funding source for projects outside of our daily operations. Unlike the Community Development Fund, these funds are specifically intended for expanding and improving farming practices and output in the area — we are working towards beekeeping training, reforestation, etc. in the near future using this investment.