NEW YORK – The Lambi Fund of Haiti, a grassroots development organization based in Port-au-Prince, is expanding its outreach efforts to the New York metro area.
“New York is historically a large international community of both Haitians and non-Haitians that have expressed interest in Haiti,” said Leonie Hermantin, deputy director of the Lambi Fund. “This is an opportunity to inform the New York community in general about our work, but we’re particularly interested in young Haitian Americans who want to become engaged in Haiti, but are not sure about the programs and strategies and organizations who are doing good work there.”
Hermantin recently spent a week in New York, giving presentations and hosting discussions about development in Haiti and the Lambi Fund’s role in that process. Her trip was the beginning of what the organization hopes will be a growing relationship with New York community.
Alison Desir, a New Yorker of Haitian descent who visited Haiti with the Lambi Fund last fall, said she was glad to see that the Lambi Fund was increasing its outreach in New York.
“I think the Haitian community will definitely respond to Lambi Fund, but it will require a greater presence and outreach effort,” Desir said. “So I’m glad to hear that the Lambi Fund wants to engage more in New York, because it belongs here.”
Lambi Fund works in partnership with rural grassroots peasant organizations to support economic justice, democracy and sustainable development in Haiti. The Lambi Fund’s mission is to assist the popular, democratic movement in Haiti.
Founded in 1994, Lambi Fund provides financial resources, training and technical assistance to peasant-led community organizations that promote the social and economic empowerment of the Haitian people.
For more information about the organization, visit www.lambifund.org.