Peyi Lock 2022 - What is going on?

It’s been 3 weeks now since Haiti has been on lock again. Between the gang shootings, having no access to fuel, limited access to clean water to only name these, it is so hard to remain hopeful.

This lock is not the first but it seems to have a stronger impact on our team and on the nation as a whole. Rising up against the kidnappings, insecurity, violence and excessive prices, protestors have been in the streets. The fuel distribution station “Varreux” has been totally blocked following the announcement of gas price increase. While these protests are understandable as we are all tired of the corruption of the government and some private entities causing excess poverty, they are often accompanied by violence that have an even more negative impact on the economy. Streets are barricaded and roads are blocked, forcing people to stay in their homes, unable to sell or go to work, and kids can’t go to school. we can feel the weight of the mental toll this is having on the majority of the population. People are fleeing, some leaving the country to find security and for their kids to be able to go to school.

Nobody feels safe in their own homes anymore. Even behind our walls we can hear the close gunshots, in the news we hear more and more stories about gangs taking over people’s houses.

“It’s been 3 weeks now that we are on lock. It is not the first time that we are in this situation but this time it seems worse mainly because life was already so expensive. We are paralyzed to the point where schools and even hospitals are closed. We barely have any water, we do not have fuel. For us artisans, it has been hell. Most of us cannot reach work. There is no public transport. Everything is completely blocked. It’s been such a long time since we’ve been living these situations in Haiti. I can only hope that things will eventually get better Sigh“ Ismaella

For now, we cannot give our opinion on when things will “calm down”. It’s been such a rollercoaster and it is safe to say that we are ALL fed up. While we do our best to remain hopeful, we cannot stay silent on the horrible things happening on this land. As the government remains silent or seems to act like it is well, we will continue to use our voices to inform and educate on what is happening.

We cannot afford to completely crumble under this weight, as heavy as it is, because we know that our HDC family is counting on us. Many thanks to each of you who keep things going for us no matter what through your orders! You keep us working and give us motivation through the highs and extreme lows. We are so grateful for you.

In order to further support, please consider becoming part of our HDC Family

Men anpil, chay pa lou

Introducing… The VALÈ SERIES

What comes to your mind when we talk about Value ? In the practical sense of the word, to value something means to cherish it and to acknowledge its importance. We can recognize the beauty in something but not cherish it enough…not give it the respect it deserves. Many of us Haitians feel like this when it comes to our heritage. Whether we talk about our food, our art, our people or our language, we cannot help but feel like many things in Haïti are treasures many cannot seem to see. Could it be that the reason for this is that we do not Value them enough?

The series Valè aims to do just that: Diving into different aspects that we love most about Haitian culture. The people, the history, the oral traditions that make up valè nou. 

We had the chance to collaborate with Anne-Marjorie René, an audio-visual storyteller who is dedicated to promoting Haïti through her creations. Let’s read more about what she has to say has she explains why she values small Haitian businesses so much.

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PART 1: Valuing Haitian Entrepreneurs

I am Anne Marjorie René, a creative entrepreneur and visual storyteller. I was born and raised in Port-au-Prince but I am a country girl at heart. I come from a lineage of machanns and artisans and I am passionate about storytelling, community building and economic development.

Haitian Valè for me is a combination of things that make our essence. Part of our heritage and identity that we thoughtfully pass down from a generation to another. I value so many things about our culture and the way we function as people. I love how small business owners like to include God’s names and attributes in their business’s names, I love how the traveling street vendors make entertaining songs that they sing out loud to market their products, I love how content most of us are, it is beautiful to see how happy and resourceful we can be with so little while cultivating generosity .

I love to serve my community with my gifts, being able to connect people while creating opportunities for them. I am humbled to tell their stories to the world, to shine light on our true colors and show our bright side.

I believe that entrepreneurship is one of the key tools to foster economic development. Our community revolves around enterprises that meet almost all of our needs and give us the solutions to our problems. Leveraging entrepreneurship will make our community economically viable and it potentially bring stability. Entrepreneurship can easily take Haiti from aid to trade.

I grew up around so many entrepreneurs who impacted my life in a special way.

Frantz Jean-Ba is an artist I met a few years ago at place Saint-Pierre; he makes beautiful paintings that move me. He also has a stand where he sells arts and crafts for other artisans who cannot afford to have their own stand. It’s one of my favorite places to shop for unique gifts. We see each other from time to time and I stop by just to say hi even when I am not buying. Fritzner and Miguelito are my flower pratiks ,they are always one call away and they make me the most beautiful bouquets for me and my loves ones.

Antoinette is a vegetables machann that I have known since forever; she used to be my father’s favorite “Pratik” and now she is mine. I admire her perseverance and courage. One thing I’ve learned about her is that “Will is power “she likes to say “Depi w vle ou kapab” . She had to start over with her business multiple times because she is a single mother who could not afford to let her family down. Now that her kids are older they turned her vegetables basket into a family business.

I am intentional about buying local because I want my money to recirculate and in my community, the small business owners are less likely to leave to go somewhere else . It brings me joy when I am able to encourage local prosperity. At my local market I get to pick my fresh food and I know where it comes from. I am a sucker for handmade things and crafts, buying from my local artisans help them to stay and guarantee their ability to provide for their families.

Click here to watch Anne-Marjorie’s video for the Valè Series honoring Haitian small business owners.

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To see more of Anne-Marjorie’s work, you can follow along on instagram- @annmarj0rie

An update from Haiti

Hey friends!

Thanks for taking the time to be in this space and support us in the way that you do. I’ve wanted to send an update for a while, but it’s been hard to put words to all the feelings of the situation that continues to cause so much pain and fear in Haiti.

For many it seems the news on July 7th of the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse was a huge shock. I was reading so many headlines in the international news and across social media as if this was a heartbreaking tragedy that was out of the blue. I want to acknowledge the pain and trauma that the former President’s family is experiencing- no one should have to live through that. And simultaneously must say that hundreds of families in Haiti, particularly in Port au Prince- in Village de Dieu, in Martissant, in Delmas 32, know this pain and trauma all too well as it has become the norm of day to day life since 2018, but particularly this year.

Leading up to July 7th, we had experienced on-going peyi lock since the summer of 2018. We had experienced a 200% increase in kidnappings; leaving the house with an uncertainty if you would return became the new norm. We saw the remaining infrastructure of a democracy crumble as the current regime laid a path towards dictatorship. We saw already hurting businesses (ours included) take a devastating hit as the currency was so drastically manipulated last fall. We heard violent threats that were acted out from gang leaders as they expanded their control in many areas. We saw innocent lives such as Evelyne Sincere tragically taken from this earth as kidnappings with no consequence became the norm. We mourn the lives of truth seekers such activist Netty Duclaire and journalist Diego Charles who were not afraid to speak out against the corruption. The physical threat of people speaking out in Haiti is all too real- that’s where we are today.

This all needs to be acknowledged because July 7th was not an isolated event- it was the pot boiling over that has been on the edge for a while.

What I’ve expressed above does not at all encompass the layers of political and international transgressions that contributed to the state of Haiti today, but it does give you an honest sense of what’s been happening in our world.

This space, Haiti Design Co, is meant to be one that uplifts and elevates the beauty and talent of Haiti. Sometimes we have to find a balance between doing that and being honest with what’s going on. Over the years in the wake of a natural disaster or political turmoil we have directed people in this space to buy Haitian made products or donate to a specific project of impact in Haiti. And with a heavy sigh, here we are again. How many more of those messages can we share? It’s all been said.

We try our best to stay focused on what we CAN do- creating jobs, holistic employee support, business start up, promoting Haitian made. Yet…. Many times lately it feels futile.

There is so much around us that can make us feel as if we are drowning- so much uncertainty and elements out of our control. But what I know to be true, to be real- is the impact in our little community from these jobs created. I know there’s a lot we can’t fix, but there is a whole lot of good when we focus on what we can fix.

There continue to be light carriers along the way- local business owners who refuse to give up. Those warriors pressing on against all odds- building, growing, and investing in Haiti based businesses and services. Those who refused to let their joy and vision be stolen from the situation and push forward to invest in the impact they can have around them. And also the customers- you amazing beings showing up to support Haiti made and keeping us working during these dark days.

So today I want to thank those heros (well mostly Sheros really). Thank you for giving us inspiration.

Ou pa janm te bag vag 🖤

Below I’m going to link some of my favorite local Haitian-made businesses that I encourage you to support! Another big support to us would be you joining HDC Fam, our monthly contributors that support our holistic employee programs. You can donate once or join HDC Fam below.

Keep carrying the light forward friends! Pa lage!

-Chandler

Co-founder of HDC

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Haiti-Made Brands We Love

• Pascale Theard: Leather goods, sandals, home decor

• TiSakSuk: Hand painted apparel

• Deux Mains: Sandals, handbags, jewelrys

• 2nd Story Goods: Jewelry, homewares, accessories

• Atelier Calla: Horn & Wood Jewelry

• Onaturell: Natural skin & hair care products and services

• Caribbean Craft: Hand crafted home decor

• Avanti Coffee: Craft roasted, Haiti grown coffee

• Gift of Hope: Jewelry & accessories

• Rosie’s Boutique: Gifts, jewelry, accessories

• Haiti Mama: Jewelry, accessories, subscription box

BRIDGING THE GAP

Day 7: BRIDGING THE GAP

In our final day of #HDCFam Week we are focusing on the core value that brings us all together- bridging the gap for and with our artisan families. Today’s essay is written by Jerry, the head of quality control and a member of the leather team at Haiti Design Co.

“My name is Evens, but usually people call me Jerry. I have been working at HDC for a while now, and even met my wife there. She has a daughter that I feel is my own now, and we have our first baby on the way. I’m really happy to have them as my family. 

I manage quality control at Haiti Design Co., which means that I go through every single product to make sure they are perfect before we ship them to our customers. I also work with the leather team, and help lead tours when visitors stop by to see the workshop. I am also a designer, and HDC always provides opportunities for me to use my skills and create new designs.

Something that I really love about HDC is that most people who begin working with us have no idea that they have the ability to do great things, and have the potential to change their community, and then when they start working at HDC, all of these things are revealed. HDC has provided a lot of training, and has helped a lot of dreams to become a reality. 

One of my biggest dreams was to own my own house. My wife and I were always struggling to pay rent every year. Saving for the future isn’t something that exists in my culture or really is even a possibility, but after receiving training at HDC, this changed for me, and my wife and I began saving for our dream.

After participating for a while in a program that Haiti Design Co started called “Save for Tomorrow”, my wife and I sat down and talked with the HDC leaders about our goal of buying a house, and our financial plan to do it. They were so impressed with our motivation and how much we had saved, that they agreed to give us a loan to complete what we needed. 

A mutual friend of ours helped us find a house, and we bought it. Now we have our own house, and I am so proud of that. I really like our home because it looks like a cube, and at night there is a nice breeze that sweeps in and helps me sleep. It has been really fun to make our home more interesting. We have painted the inside white, have put down ceramic tiles, and have begun to purchase appliances. It’s a great feeling to not have to worry about next year’s rent, to not be so stressed, and to just feel so comfortable in your own home. Our home is the nicest house I have ever lived in.

I really appreciate HDC because it is such a unique organization in Haiti. HDC wants to see less people living in poverty, and more people living a vibrant life, but instead of just asking for charity, they instead ask people to take a look at the beautiful products that we create. I don’t have enough time to talk about all of the different things HDC does, but getting to talk about the dream that HDC helped me achieve is a pretty great thing that I wanted to share.

PEYI LOCK

Day 4: TOGETHER IN THE STRUGGLE

“A long time ago, Haiti used to be a prosperous nation in the Caribbean. A few years ago, Haiti wasn’t facing what it currently is.

This year has been full of hardship. Gas shortages. Food shortages. Corruption in the government and private sector- all of this leading to what we call “Peyi-Lok” or a “Country Shut-down”.
Streets are barricaded and roads are blocked, forcing people to stay in their homes- unable to sell or go to work, and kids can’t go to school. For me personally, it’s been really hard. There have been many days when I can’t go to work, and a lot of times the streets are too dangerous to go out. Some days I tried to leave my house but I got threatened and had to turn around, or had things thrown at me while driving my motorcycle.
What’s sad is that when you are at home, you should feel comfortable and safe. But it has turned into something else, because now when you are home you don’t feel those things, instead you feel frustrated, scared, and sad. You aren’t home because you want to be, you are home because you are forced to be by protestors and gangs.
The Peyi-Lok has really affected my spirit, and I feel like I have been traumatized by the things that I have seen, and by the fear I have felt. One time I was on my way home from work and my brother and I accidentally drove into a violent riot- where tires were burning everywhere. We were terrified by being hit by bottles or rocks that were being thrown, we drove like crazy to get out of there. I have had friends that fell victim because of the lockdown. My friend’s father was run over by a car trying to escape from a manned roadblock, I had another friend who was shot after a gang robbed him while driving his motorcycle. They both died because of the lockdown.
More people are hungry. It’s harder to get food when businesses can’t get produce delivered. It’s hard to feel safe at all now, you used to feel like you could call the police if you got into trouble, but now the police are so preoccupied by the situation- it’s like there isn’t enough to go around. Honestly, they probably couldn’t even make it to you in time because of the road situations.
So it’s a hard time in Haiti, but I will say this- Haitians stand together. People are helping each other survive- they share food, they share resources because they know others are going hungry or don’t have money because they lost their job or can’t make it to work to get paid. Haitians are resilient, it’s not the first time that we have had to face such trials as a people, and it certainly won’t be the last. But I always find that we make it through together, we always help each other through it.”

As we continue in the week of #HDCFam, we reach a core value that is especially important to us during this difficult time, being together in the struggle. Today’s essay was written by Carl Mathiew. Carl is the head of sewing on our leather team. He is also a member of our advanced english class and wrote this feature based on his personal experience of peyi lock.

While this phase has been extremely difficult, it has been a great comfort being able to pull together as a team during this time. When we can make it to work- be with community, commiserate, and do our best to support one another and encourage one another, it reminds us that we really aren’t alone in it all.

And many thanks to each of you who make this opportunity possible for us through your orders! You keep us working and give us motivation for a new day.

To further support our team members in more impactful ways, please consider being a part of HDC Fam.