1st prize 2017: Johny Hilaire and Margarette Pierre-Louis (Haiti)
Congratulations to Johny and Margarette! At the 2017 Commitment Award Ceremony, this project won first place!
The duo of Johny Hilaire and Margarette Pierre-Louis plan to empower young residents of Vialet, Haiti by giving out goats for breeding, which is aimed at reducing poverty. The project coordinators said animal husbandry is the most secured economic activity in Vialet, as residents of this locality rely on the sale of their animals to satisfy their needs, which is mainly the education of their children, but unfortunately this is being threatened by insufficient funds and poor managerial skills of the residents. The project will be measured based on the increasing number of beneficiaries, as the initial 50 goats distributed among the residents is expected to soar based on the reproduction of the goats. The residents themselves, who will nominate 5 reputable people amongst them to be members of a management committee that will be responsible for overseeing the affairs and running the scheme, will largely manage the project. There is also a plan to partner with the local government in providing security for the project.
The project coordinators are aware of the risk associated with goat breeding, which are theft and diseases, but this will be effectively handled by tagging the goats and also with the help of a professional veterinarian, inhabitant of Vialet, named Charles Mercidieu, who will assure the safety and security of the goats.
Johny Hilaire is a student at the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy and has experience in project development and management, while his partner Margarette Pierre-Louis also from Haiti, but based in America has experience in project funding and management. It is expected that this project will serve as a wakeup call for other Haitians to participate in the development of the country.
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