CEO Pierre Ferrari to Visit Haiti

By Brooke Edwards

October 3, 2019

Last Updated: February 14, 2012

Heifer President and CEO Pierre Ferrari leaves for Haiti tomorrow to attend the opening of a new goat breeding center. Ferrari will be in Haiti from February 15-22 to preview Heifer Haiti's new Rural Entrepreneurs for Agricultural Cooperation (REACH) Project. The $18.7 million project will target more than 20,000 families in Haiti, working with goats, cattle, poultry, pigs and other agricultural inputs. The project will focus on moving families from hunger to self-sufficiency and further into small business development.

The new goat breeding center will house about 100 animals, which will be used to fortify local goat sock. The center, administered by the farmers' association Tet Kole, was built as part of Heifer's umbrella project for earthquake recovery. In addition to producing animals, it will help train farmers in animal husbandry, business development and management. The center opening on February 16 is a model for other breeding centers that will be created under REACH.

The REACH project will create 150 goat- and pig-breeding centers to increase the supply of quality animals in specific regions of Haiti. At least on-third of the centers will be run by women (or women's associations), as part of Heifer's commitment to the empowerment of all small farmers, especially women.

In addition to inaugurating the new breeding center, Ferrari will visit projects, meet with government officials and other international organizations. He will be accompanied by Oscar Castaneda, vice president of Heifer's Americas Program.