The vision/mission of FIDA/pcH is to foster dignity and self esteem through a cultivated ability to provide for ones self/family/community. As the majority of Haitians depend on some form of agriculture to make a living, we have a strengthened focus on agriculture. However, our expertise is really “economic community development” and equipping the men and women of Haiti with appropriate resources to address their adversities.

In 2000, the Canadian arm (FIDA) made a strategic move to rename and reposition itself as a local entity in Haiti. In this way, the communities with whom it works view pcH as “their” partner and so have an advantage in being able to more quickly develop a level of trust and respect toward achieving long term sustainability. productive cooperatives Haiti (pcH) is FIDA’s working arm in Haiti. It is a registered Haitian not-for-profit based in Port au Prince. It maintains a core full-time staff of ten with an additional twenty contracted staff trained in FIDA/pcH methodology.

pcH provides resources to men and women in communities who are motivated to become invested shareholders in their own productive agricultural cooperative. These resources are delivered through a Three Pillar Development Program namely: The Cooperative Development Pillar, The Agricultural Development Pillar, and The Member Capacity Pillar.

In its over 36-year history, FIDA/pcH has established approximately 40 cooperatives throughout Haiti representing an estimated 12,000 members. While it takes a minimum three-year engagement to firmly establish the cooperative model, pcH maintains an ongoing relationship with most cooperatives, as they often require additional resources as they grow and evolve. It presently has an active relationship with 19 cooperatives representing approximately 7,000 members.

pcH is responsive in its approach rather than interventionist. It engages with communities only upon communicated and documented invitation. This is critical to establishing ownership. Choice is a most powerful gift particularly in impoverished environments wherein the myriad of psychosocial and economic obstacles diminishes the soul and the voice of the poor. It is in its appreciation and understanding of these complexities that pcH is an advocate and practitioner of participatory methodology.

It is an approach that undergirds all programming and interactions at every level from the office to the field.

While pcH receives the majority of its funding through private individuals, businesses, foundations and other partners, networked by FIDA, the pcH team also offers services to other missions, agencies and non-government organizations that are seeking particular expertise and experience in development practices in Haiti. Each contract is unique and customized to meet the needs of the client in terms of services provided and budget.

Go in search of your people
Love them
Plan with them
Begin with what they have
Build on what they know
But of the best leaders,
when their task is accomplished
Their work is done
The people all remark
“We have done it ourselves”.

 

Lao Tsu
604-531 BC

The experience and expertise of pcH can be called upon for the following:

  • Community assessments (pre and post project)
  • Cooperative business model (mostly agriculturally focused but have also established plastic recycling cooperatives)
  • Agricultural development including various inputs such as:
  • Credit disbursement and management/audit
  • Seed storage silo construction
  • Irrigation systems, drip irrigation, watershed management, spring capping
  • Reservoir systems (open and underground)
  • Integrated Pest Management Training
  • Farmer Field School Methodology
  • Organic composting/pest control
  • Goat/poultry enterprise/coop construction
  • Market gardening
  • Urban gardening
  • Adult/youth literacy (having developed a comprehensive three year program)
  • Cholera prevention
  • Participatory methodology/Open Space technology, etc.
  • Institutional capacity building
  • Community Social transformation
  • Disaster response

For more information, please contact:

Betsy Wall
Executive Director, FIDA/pcH
betsy.wall@fida-pch-684cf8.ingress-earth.ewp.live