• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Haiti Outreach

  • DONATE
    • About
      • Who We Are
      • Our Team
      • Strategic Partners
      • Philosophy
      • Publications
    • Our Work
      • Where We Work
      • Goals & Strategy
      • Community Development Model
      • Media & Videos
    • Make A Difference
      • Be a Clean Water Champion
      • Adopt-A-Well
      • Overflow – Monthly Giving
      • Lend A Hand
      • Travel to Haiti
    • Upcoming Events
      • Past Events
    • Travel to Haiti
      • Experience Haiti
      • Trips Calendar
      • Prepare For Your Trip
    • Field Stories
    • DONATE

    December 28, 2021 / Sasha Nicolle

    The Community of Chiffonette is Safer Now

     For years, the community of Chifonnette relied on a spring called Guerant as their primary water source.  The source is not only where many of the local people get water to drink from, but also is considered to be a magical place of worship for some groups who practice voodoo. Their worship ceremony entails invoking the spirits by presenting foods containing fat, cola and other things mixed from the spring. The voodoo worship ceremonies have impeded many members of the Chifonnette community from accessing the stream to gather water for their basic needs. 

    One morning, some of the children went to Guerant to fetch water. While they were filling their jerry cans,  a man who was performing the ceremony started to verbally and physically harass one of the children to prevent him from drawing water from the source. The children fled the stream and returned home without any water for their families.  The lack of water prevented many community members from tending to their needs that day. 

    In response to the event, several parents in the area had a meeting to discuss the situation and develop a plan  to ensure any women and children fetching water would be safe. They decided to send people in large groups to ensure everyone would be safe – no one would travel to the stream alone. While this was a good plan, it was not without problems. After some time, they still wanted a more viable solution. 

    One day, some people from the community received an invitation to participate in a community meeting in the region. During the meeting, they heard the committee announce that an organization called Haiti Outreach would be coming to drill a well in their area. 

    In response, the people of the community came together to request a well for the community of Chifonnette as well. A new well would allow them access to drinking water closer to home and eliminate the stress of being harassed by the voodoo worshipers. 

    Richelieu Antoine is a husband, father of 6 children (5 boys and 1 girl), and member of the community of Chifonette. To provide for his family, he cultivates a pistachio farm. He expressed, “I cried for joy and sincerely prayed that this would be accomplished quickly!” Three months after initiating the meetings and working hard to develop their management plan with the support of Haiti Outreach, local authorities, DINEPA, and the community, the community of Chifonnette celebrated the inauguration of their new well! 

    Antoine, overjoyed, expressed, “We could rejoice in glory and victory for the success of having access to drinking water through this project! Today, we are living the reality of access to drinking water, and I have felt very relieved since then.” The community of Chifonnette are grateful that their women and children can gather water safely from now on. 

    Support More Communities Like Chiffonnette Here!

    Filed Under: Haiti Field Stories, Stories ·

    Footer

    CONTACT US

    8441 Wayzata Blvd.
    Suite 118
    Golden Valley, MN 55426

    612-929-1122
    [email protected]

    STAY CONNECTED WITH US

    Want to stay on top of the latest happenings at Haiti Outreach? Sign up today and have updates sent straight to your inbox!
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    FOLLOW US

    Copyright © 2023 Haiti Outreach. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Developed by Vivid Image. Log in.

    Make a Difference!

    Give today and make an impact that will last for generations to come!

    Donate Now