What is the Haiti Goat Project?

Haiti Goat Project (HGP) is St. An-

drew’s annual Lenten project that be-

gan in 2006. The initiative aids the chil-

dren of Haiti by providing our Haitian

friends the tools and knowledge need-

ed to build a long-term solution to

poverty and hunger.

The core concept of the program is

simple: to survive and succeed, chil-

dren need food. St. Andrew’s program

is part of a larger effort at the Chris-

tiansville Foundation in Gressier, Haiti,

that provides a stable source of food,

and most importantly vital protein,

lacking in the children’s diet. Our par-

ish has focused on development of a

goat herd as part of this effort

With our parish’s support the goat

herd is thriving! Together with other

food production programs at Christian-

ville, it provides critical protein supple-

ments for thousands of meals every

week to school children in Haiti. This is

often the only full meal that many of

the rural school children we serve re-

ceive each day.

Leadership

Under the direction of St. Andrew pa-

rishioner and NC State professor Char-

lotte Farin, the Haiti Goat Project has

flourished with the support of our parish

and the technical know-how of the NC

State Animal Science Department. Dr.

Farin, other NC State staff, and parishion-

ers from St. Andrew Parish, regularly go

to Haiti to monitor the program making

sure that funds are being used where

they are most needed and that local staff

receive necessary training.

A Strong Foundation

A great deal of care was taken from the

beginning to ensure the program remains

sustainable. The goat herd was built

slowly along with the needed infrastruc-

ture and staff to manage it. Perhaps the

greatest testament to its sustainability is

how well the program responded after

the devastating 2010 earthquake and

subsequent hurricanes.

A Hand Up

Another important factor is that HGP is

focused on giving a hand up, not a hand

out. Whether it is building a fence or hav-

ing staff trained in food safety, HGP em-

ploys, and when needed provides train-

ing for, local Haitians to do the work at

Christianville. As a further outreach to

rural communities in the mountain areas

surrounding the Christianville farm site,

the HGP is working to train women goat

owners in the proper care and manage-

ment of their goats. During 2012- 2017,

HGP has distributed 30 bucks to produc-

ers in surrounding communities to help

improve the genetic diversity of goats in

the area.

Moving Forward

To maintain current successful pro-

grams, and build on future goals, we

need your help. There are hundreds

more children that can be fed every day

as HGP programs continue to grow. This

Lent, we ask for your continued support

to help the Haitian community feed their

children; build strong, self-reliant fami-

lies; and reach a brighter future through

education.

Look for The Haiti Goat Project Table in the Gathering Space!

Haiti Goat Project Sponsor a Goat to Feed a Community

S t . A n d r e w t h e A p o s t l e R o m a n C a t h o l i c C h u r c h A p e x , N C

Each serving of Chili Kabrit supplies 100% of a child’s daily protein, Vita-

min A and Iron requirements as well as a host of other minerals and

vitamins in a good tasting, hearty meal. A vital added benefit of the chili

product is that it can be made shelf stable and is transportable.

St. Andrew’s Support of the

Haiti Goat Project Has

Achieved:

Establishment of a goat herd that produces high quality ani-mals that are available for distri-bution to other producers or to school feeding programs

Providing educational programs and hands-on training for pro-ducers interested in improving their goat management skills

Construction of an excellent facility for handling the growing Christianville goat herd and for testing methods to improve pas-tures and forages to support better goat production in Haiti

Development of a nutritional supplement program for local children with distribution of over 2700 meals a month

Providing an economic stimulus to the local agricultural econo-my by purchasing Farm-to-Fork program supplies from local goat farmers and vegetable pro-ducers.

Ways to Contribute:

Pray for the success of the Haiti Goat Project.

Donate after Mass, our Lenten tree will be available each Sunday during Lent until Palm Sunday.

Goat Sponsorship levels are $5, $10, $25 & $75.

Chili Kabrit Farm-to-Fork Spon-sorship levels are $25, $50, & $250 for a full run of chili.

Online at www.saintandrew.org.

Feeding the

Children

The Farm-to-

Fork Chili Kabrit

program began in

2012 when a

group of St. An-

drew’s parishion-

ers traveled to Christianville to see if mak-

ing goat-vegetable chili could be done and

if Haitian children would actually like it. It

was a success on both accounts and the

Farm-to-Fork program was born.

The Farm-to-Fork Program is a perfect

example of how all of the programs in

Christianville work together. Chili Kabrit

starts with protein provided from goats

purchased from local farmers or by the

Haiti Goat Project. Vegetables come from

local producers or from Christianville’s

gardens. The students of the Christian-

ville vocational agricultural program, the

culinary institute, as well as farm workers

and local women, work together to pro-

duce the chili. The end result is a highly

nutritious and transportable food product

that also supports the development of

the local economy. Each month more

than 2700 US dollars are pumped into the

local agricultural economy to directly sup-

port local goat producers and vegetable

growers in the Gressier community as

they provide the components needed for

making Chili Kabrit.

Building for the Future

Between 2014 and 2018 the Farm-to-

Fork program grew from providing 225

meals each month in Fall 2014 to 1800

meals each month in Fall 2017 to 2700

meals in the spring of 2018 being served

each month to rural school children.

Our goal continue to increase our

monthly Chili Kabrit production so many

more needy children can be served and

stronger economic support can be provid-

ed to goat and vegetable producers in the

local community.

Haiti Goat Project by Numbers

Over the past ten years our parish has raised over $340,000 for the Haiti Goat

Project.

Funds have been used for barn construction ($42,000), housing construction

($25,000), fencing/pasture improvement and fence supply shipments ($20,000),

earthquake disaster relief and school reconstruction ($60,000), goat herd health,

breeding, and feeding supplies ($50,000), chili production supplies ($18,000),

producer training & supplies ($12,000), Haitian farm employee salaries ($40,000),

farm and vehicle support ($12,000), general project support ($30,000), and most

recently Farm-to-Fork Chili Kabrit production (Cost of ~$2700/month).

The Farm to Fork Program has grown from 250 meals a month in late 2014 to

over 2700 meals in early 2018. Each week 675 meals are made and distributed.

The goat heard has grown to over 65 animals with a goal of growing the herd to

85 animals within the next 2 years.