Mission and History:

Literacy for Haiti is a mission for Christ. It exists to provide spiritual and tangible hope for the mountain people of Damye, Haiti. It was founded by Dr. Cliff Matousek and his wife Bobbi in 1997 andiIn 2002 it became a non- profit corporation under section 501 c. (3) of the internal revenue code of the United States. The residents of Damye, are a hard working and resilient people who suffer from severe poverty, malnutrition, deforestation, soil erosion, lack of opportunity and lack of hope that their situation will change for the better. In 1996 they met together and prayed for God's help. Since that time it has been our privilege to be a part of God's reply. We have been amazed to see how God keeps providing encouragement and development for the Haitians as they trust him, use what they have, and do their part.

Because we are teachers, my wife and I began our relationship with the people of Damye by teaching many illiterate mountain people to read. But as valuable as reading is, we soon learned that there were more serious problems than illiteracy facing the community, so we turned our attention to economic development instead. However, we do continue to support education in indirect ways. We help one Haitian school in the area by sponsoring 10 students who otherwise could not attend. We also started an endowment fund for the school, which the principal and teachers use to invest in local commodities. Profits from the investments help pay teachers and buy needed equipment. The fund is not large enough to supply all that is needed, but it helps each year and continues to grow.

Haitian mountain people like this one use the loan program to invest in raising and selling staple crops along with other enterprises.

The deepest need of our community is cash flow. Many families of sometimes six or more are forced to survive on little more than 50 dollars US per month on our mountain, and this in an economy where prices for goods and services, except for fruits in season, are nearly the same as in the US. People are considered well off if they are able to afford one large plate of rice and beans per day. Many families simply cannot afford to eat every day. The people ofaten survive on whatever they can raise in their gardens or borrow from family members. The six month long dry season can be particularly difficult for them. Under these conditions it is nearly impossible to get enough cash together to start a small business, such buying and reselling rice or raising a goat etc.

We started in 1997 by loaning about $30 to each of 3 ladies and gave them 10 months to repay it. We told them that if they were faithful to use their loans wisely and repay it, that God would increase things for them and the community. Each year he did just that. In 2007 LFH loaned out over $13,000 to 255 different people. Participants may borrow either $65 or $35 and still have 10 months to repay. They pay 5% interest on the money to help the program grow. Last year they had a payback rate of 99.3% and earned over 400 dollars in interest for their program. God supplied $4000 dollars for the program through generous donations from individuals throughout the US. We hope to see this program double or triple in the near future.

Agro-Forestry

One resource that many mountain people have had is wood. When times get tight they often resort to cutting down a tree and turning it into charcoal or lumber and selling it in the valley market places where wood is scarce. Many trees have been cleared to make way for unproductive fields of corn as well. As a result the land has become severely deforested, subject to extreme soil erosion, and the water tables are dropping without the root systems of trees to help maintain the ground water supply. There has not been any source of practical training in soil conservation, modern farming methods, or forestry in our area.

Last year LFH started to help with this problem. Students and community members raised hundreds of tree seedlings in our nursery last year and in exchange for their labor received several seedlings to plant in their own yards. These same participants learned methods of soil conservation by terracing our large demonstration plot. They also learned 3 ways to make rich compost to make gardens more productive. LFH has built two large storage tanks to hold rain water so gardening can be taught year round. In addition, grant funds provided to LFH, have been used to build wire "tree shields" that can be loaned to farmers to reforest open land and keep the seedlings from being destroyed by ravaging goats. Education and re-forestation will continue to be a focus at LFH for years to come. One day we hope to have productive gardens and orchards in which parents can work, learning the latest in agriculture while they earn enough to send their kids to school.

A new seamstress earns a certificate on the sewing machine.

Sewing   

The Sewing Center from God has been completed.  It is a beautiful native style building built through funding granted by the Franciscan Sisters of Alleghany New York along with lots of generously donated time and labor from community members. It has eight mechanically powered sewing machines.  Sewing offers promise as a way to provide employment for some villagers.  Five village women have been trained to use the machines. They had made a business for themselves assembling small dip nets for the aqua culture industry here in the US, but this year our buyer made no further orders. The women have been working hard to learn how to sew school uniforms and have begun selling them. We are praying that this will take off and are always looking for small items that they could sew and market here in the US.

Bobbi treats a malnourished child with head wounds

Medicine

We are always learning more about how to help the mountain people medically. We continue to treat many serious cuts from either falls or machete wounds.  The mountain people simply do not have clean bandages or antiseptics. We clean and cover their wounds and pray for their healing. When they recover we usually have a new friend to bring us avocados or chicken eggs.  We routinely give out over-the-counter medicines to those who come to us with minor aches and pains or stomach trouble.  The need here is very great indeed.

Hospital care is available in our area if one can afford it. Each year LFH sets aside funds to help the desperately ill get the medical care they need.

One  family lives in a lean to covered with leaves and rags, but no more.

 Housing

Some mountain people simply don't have adequate shelter. LFH strives to meet this need, as funds allow, through a Habitat for Humanity like project called “Ti Kay Soti Bondye”  - Little House from God. Families or widows that we identified as being the poorest of the poor, do 6 months of community service, and serve as workers to help build homes for others. Then LFH supplies the tin, nails, and food for the workers they need so that the community can have the equivalent of an old fashioned "barn raising" for these needy ones.  On building day, scores of mountain people build together for God, donating enough labor to raise the native style houses in exchange for a good meal. Enthusiasm is high on the part of workers and gratitude is even higher on the part of the recipients. We have been able to build 4 houses so far in this way. A native style house costs about $800 US to build.

Beans are the major source of protein for mountain people

Bean Bank

All of the programs God starts in Damye start very small, but somehow they seem to grow.  We learned of another need we could address with a program that we think will become very important.  Some land on our mountain is good enough to raise beans pretty well during the wet season. But many farmers are saddened because although they possess good land they cannot afford to buy bean seeds to plant.  The people suggested a bean seed bank. This works exactly like the loan program but involves no cash at all. Farmers borrow the seeds they need and repay them plus a percentage more, so the program may grow. To date about 70 farmers participate.

      Literacy for Haiti often takes college students interested in mission work, community development, anthropology, medicine, or intercultural studies to the mountain.  Our living conditions are primitive so it isn't for everybody, but those who go most certainly change the way they look at life forever.  Several have chosen careers in service because of what they saw and did in Haiti.  The students enrich our lives and the community with their service and hard work, but they will usually tell you that they take away far more from the experience than they were able to give.

    At present we don't have the opportunity to live and work with our Haitian friends year-round.  Because of this, the Haitians themselves have had to take on much responsibility and remain accountable to God for all that they do.  I am happy to say that they have done so very well.  We're excited to see what will happen for them next as new opportunities continue to arise.  You can reach Literacy for Haiti with any questions you might have by e-mail - drcmatousek@aol.com.

Dr. Cliff Matousek has been a teacher and professor of education for over 25 years.  His wife Bobbi is a High School teacher.  Their son Alexi is a medical student intending to work in Haiti one day. Their second son, Justin, is in undergraduate studies in pre-physical therapy.