WakaWaka in Haiti

WakaWaka co-founder Maurits Groen and WakaWaka Foundation Haiti Coordinator Michiel van Kleef are currently in Haiti where the first of the 12.000 WakaWaka lights from the WakaWaka crowfdunding campaign have been distributed.

Near LAocobias, in the east of Haiti, around 40 villagers received their lamps last Sunday. WakaWaka co-founder Maurits Groen together with Michiel van Kleef, Chief Program Officer, came to the village thanks to a cooperation between WakaWaka and GARR, a Haitian Human Rights Organisation. With financial aid of Christian Aid, GARR is building houses for Internal Displased Persons (IDP’s) that stiill suffer from the consequences of the earthquake in 2010. In the coming months the 12.000 lamps will be distributed in the whole of Haiti in collaboration with more than 15 local and international NGO’s

This week, Groen and Van Kleef, will visit several of these projects and partners, not only to distribute the lamps but also discuss the way in which receivers will perform certain community tasks in return for the donation. The idea being that the lamps are being given for free but not for nothing. Also during the trip, several focus groups will be organised. The aim to learn about people’s opinion on systems of micro finance and other alternative investment methods.

Michiel will write a blog the next days to keep us informed about what is happening on the trail. We have already added some pictures of this important and exciting trip!