Five Years After the Earthquake : Haiti's Joys and Challenges

Madison, WI, January 14, 2015 (Newswire.com) - This week, the world commemorates the 5th anniversary of the Haitian earthquake where more than 230,000 people died and a country's infrastructure was destroyed. Haiti still suffers major challenges: cholera introduced by foreign peacekeepers, over a million people still living in tent slums, and 75% continuing to live in extreme poverty. Unemployment is significant as is a lack of potable water, healthcare and education.

In spite of current reality, Haiti wasn't always this grim. "Haiti was the 3rd largest supplier of coffee in 1949. Now few know it exists," says CEO of nonprofit Singing Rooster http://www.singingrooster.org Molly Nicaise. She agrees Haiti was in great need of emergency aid after the quake, but suggests long-term stability requires a self-sustaining economy. "Coffee does this for tens of thousands, and economy building around agriculture is twice as effective as other development."

"Haiti was the 3rd largest supplier of coffee in 1949. Now few know it exists," says CEO of nonprofit Singing Rooster Molly Nicaise.

Molly Nicaise, CEO

According to Nicaise, who manages this Wisconsin-based social enterprise, coffee offers tangible solutions to a nation whose economy is built, in part, on foreign aid. Singing Rooster has built rural economies in Haiti through coffee agriculture since 2009. She believes massive, grand strategies often fail to help the vulnerable. Singing Rooster provides on the ground agriculture support and training in business management to small-scale producers. "We work with really small farmer groups and pay well above fair trade for crops, then transform them into roasted coffee for farmer benefit." Singing Rooster returns 100% of proceeds from coffee sales back to farmers and their communities for continued business growth and development.

"It's been a lot of work. We have re-built the entire supply chain from crops to a roasted and packaged product," said co-founder Christophe Nicaise who manages on-the-ground activities with farmer owned cooperatives. The payoff has been significant : Singing Rooster has put over $1,000,000 into the pockets of farmers, has improved yields by 31%, is replanting coffee trees by the hundreds of thousands, and is building direct access into roasted and green coffee markets in the United States so farmers, not middlemen, reap financial benefits.

According to Singing Rooster's Business Developer Saurin Nanavati, "People are suffering donor fatigue and question how money may be spent. We offer a simple act: drink coffee."

To buy farmer-direct, Haitian coffee, visit Singing Rooster's website.

Then introduce Singing Rooster to your favorite grocery store, hotel owner, and breakfast restaurant.