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Trip of a Lifetime

Jeff Norby with a kindergarten class at a school, in the capital of Port Au' Prince, where TeacHaiti sponsors a number of children (sponsorship includes tuition, books, and lunch -- NRCS photo -- click to enlarge)

Jeff Norby with a kindergarten class at a school in the capital of Port Au' Prince, where TeacHaiti sponsors a number of children (sponsorship includes tuition, books, and lunch -- NRCS photo -- click to enlarge)

environmental problems facing Haiti, in this case, a river polluted with garbage and severe sedimentation (NRCS image -- click to enlarge)

environmental problems facing Haiti, in this case, a river polluted with garbage and severe sedimentation (NRCS image -- click to enlarge)

agricultural setting with farmers hand pulling weeds (farming practices, for the masses, remain simple and increasingly unproductive -- NRCS image -- click to enlarge)

agricultural setting with farmers hand pulling weeds (farming practices, for the masses, remain simple and increasingly unproductive -- NRCS image -- click to enlarge)

Minnesota NRCS soil conservation technician Jeff Norby recently visited Haiti to meet with founder and TeacHaiti director Miquette Denie and students and their families to explore possibilities to improve the scope and effectiveness of the organization.  Jeff is also a board member of TeacHati, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide education scholarships to those who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to get an education.

During his trip, Jeff also had an opportunity to view current farming practices and to meet with several Haitian farmers.  Statistically, a large percentage of Haiti’s population is involved in subsistence agriculture.  The majority of farmers work very small plots (less than 5 acres) using labor intensive methods (hand tools).  The land is continuously cropped with no agricultural inputs and farmed with a rotation of sweet peas, edible beans, and millet (also scattered mango plants).  The soils appear very weathered and aged.

Minnesota wheat field

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Haiti is located approximately 750 miles southeast of Florida on the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic.  The island nation is just a little smaller than the state of Maryland with approximately twice the population.  It is also is the third largest country in the Caribbean, behind Cuba and the Dominican Republic, and is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.  The majority of Haiti’s population is concentrated in urban areas, coastal plains, and valleys.  Haiti is very mountainous -- its name coming from a word that means “mountainous land.”

Jeff confessed that after witnessing Haiti's problems first-hand he was a bit discouraged; but this time it was different.  After meeting with students, families, school administrators, and seeing their hope for the future as well as their gratitude for the efforts being made to improve their education opportunities and agriculture, he came away encouraged and deeply touched.

Jeff hopes to return to Haiti on a regular basis to solidify the positive impact American contributions are making through education. 
Your contact is Jeff Norby at 218-847-9392.