By Jupille Facile

Our mission at Bambou Facile is to create sustainable and innovative solutions with bamboo as a natural and versatile material for socio-economic and environmental development in Haiti.

We have been involved in many initiatives in low income communities that allow us to use local resources to conceive solutions to their current challenges, create jobs, and contribute to local production in the country.

Each challenge is an opportunity to grow and an opportunity to do something that we have never done before.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were experiencing a total panic that affected our entire team, even our clients. This uncertain situation, unfortunately, caused depression in many and reduced our capacity for production. From my side, I was experiencing the same situation, but, as a leader, it is important to be a light in a dark moment. Leaders need to keep inspiring people with positive energy and hope when they lose faith. Fortunately, I am active in an Entrepreneurs Network that I was able to turn to for support. One of the pillars of entrepreneurship is the idea that “Every Crisis is an Opportunity to Innovate and Grow.” This idea made me refocus on how I can innovate instead of stressing about the pandemic.

After taking the time to observe my employees and the world in general, I developed two responses to COVID-19 that allowed me to create new opportunities and jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic:

1. One Plant, Million Hope

Bambou Facile created the “One Plant, Million Hope” challenge to accelerate bamboo farming in Haiti. Our goal is to prepare and distribute/plant 25,000 bamboo seedlings in Port au Prince and Cap Haitian. To date, we’ve prepared and distributed 10,000 seedlings.

There are more than five million people in Haiti, and 80 percent of them only have access to electricity 20 percent time of the day. People are bored at home, depressed, and desperate. In addition to that, they are offered little hope from the government.

We decided to create an #ecocitizen #challenge. Starting from Bambou Facile’s team to the community, everyone was asked to plant just one plant. The plant could be bamboo, bananas, corn, peas, lilacs, maple, guava, cherries, flowers, mangoes, citrus, oranges, blades, beans, or anything that was available. Participants then water the plant every morning and maybe even in the afternoon. They share pictures of the plant on day one and then every two weeks to follow. Watering this plant daily symbolizes HOPE at this delicate time and their COMMITMENT to watering sustainable development in Haiti!

Participants use the caption "Sa se pyon pam pou yon lòt Ayiti" (“This is my move towards a new Haiti.”) and the hashtag #PlantpamHaiti to post photos to raise awareness!

2. Making Life Colorful

We have observed and understood that people have been drinking a lot of wine during the pandemic. Bambou Facile created a new product, the “Bamboo Bottle Taker,” which is an innovative wine rack that allows clients to keep their wine safe in a beautiful environment. The customers fell in love with the products and we have created three new jobs for that product specifically. Remember that each family in Haiti have approximately six people, that translates to 18 additional people who are in better shape financially during this pandemic. This product is made with heart, and you can see the love and passion in our environment.

2020 has been a difficult year for most of us, but it is important to remember that, if we can find it within ourselves to step away from the chaos even for a few moments, we may be able to see a pathway that we can lead others through.

The views and opinions expressed in this essay are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of YouthLead.