The St. Boniface Haiti Foundation has helped open three saltwater fishing villages in coastal towns in the Fond des Blancs area. These are vitally important projects as they are self-sustainable and will provide food and business opportunities for the people in the area for many years to come.

Most local fishermen in the St. Boniface Haiti Foundation catchment area are currently forced to fish from dugout canoes in shallow and overfished waters leaving many of them to struggle to provide for their families. Our partner, Food for the Poor, has provided motorboats and equipment to allow the fishermen to go farther into the ocean and catch larger fish. They have also provided freezers and generators so the fishermen are able to store the fish and improve their financial returns on fish sales.

The largest local peasant cooperative in the area, the Rasambleman Travaye Peyizan (RATRAP), supervises the fishing villages and ensures that the fishermen are properly trained and have outlets to sell their fish. These projects are increasing the amount of fish being caught by the fishermen as well as providing better nutrition for local children and decreasing the strain on shallow fishing waters. Fishermen provide the lifeline for many coastal villages and are a vital source of economic revenue for the poor along the Haitian coast. These fishing projects are giving the fishermen and the community hope for a better future.