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NOVEMBER 19, 2020
FLORIDA STATE’S SEMINOLE SOLUTIONS TO OVERSEE AWARENESS FOR THE HAITI GRASS PROJECT
The Better Universe and Citizens, 501c3, is pleased to welcome Florida State’s Seminole Solutions, who will oversee the marketing of the Haiti Grass Project initiative. The Seminole Solutions is Florida State University’s premier student-run marketing agency working with real-world clients to produce solutions. The Haiti grass project, an initiative with origins in Tallahassee, plants grasses on eroded mountain slopes to reduce soil erosion in Haiti. Supported by numerous partners, including Rotarians, universities, churches, and individuals, Haitians have made significant strides in planting grass in Haiti. Click here to continue...
NOVEMBER 2, 2020
HAITI GRASS PROJECT FIRST FEMALE LEADER: ANDRÉ MICHELLE
The Haiti Grass Project is proud to have its first female site project leader André Michelle. In Haiti, most agriculture program leaders are men, while women make most of those who work in agriculture and agriculture value chains.
Andre is from Lamontay, Jacmel. Married, she explained her commitment to her family. She works to feed her family. In her day to day duties as a site program leader, Andre oversees a team of 10 villagers. The team establishes grass nurseries. Once they grass in the nurseries, they harvest the grass and plant it on the eroded mountain slopes. Andre explained the work as hard and in hot conditions. She is, however, committed to reducing soil erosion in her community. Andre will also be taking charge of leading other communities on the grass planting operations.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
ROTARY CLUBS JOIN TO REDUCE POVERTY IN HAITI
Generous Grant Made to Plant Grass for Innovative Solution to Haiti’s Soil Erosion
TALLAHASSEE, FL. September 17, 2020. The Rotary Clubs of Fort Myers, Fort Myers South, Anna Maria Island, Rotary District 6960, led by the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club, have joined together to contribute $6,000 to plant perennial grass to reduce soil erosion in Haiti. This grant enables the project coordinator, Better Universe and Citizens, to move past the promising pilot stage of this innovative effort to conserve Haiti’s soil.
Deforestation and farming slopes are the main causes of the erosion which result in unproductive land, cause floods, and pollute drinking water sources. Land degradation is a primary cause of Haiti’s poverty—the worst in the Western Hemisphere. By reducing erosion, the project will restore the hillsides to productive use, improve water quality, reduce flooding and protect Haiti’s ecosystem. Click here to continue…
JULY 9, 2020
WELCOME DR. GLENN SMUCKER AS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
We proudly welcome Dr. Glenn Smucker to the Board of advisors team. A cultural anthropologist, Smucker has focused on the practical applications of anthropology to human problems for the past 40 years. Smucker first lived in Haiti as a child in 1960 and has since developed to be a leading specialist on Haiti.
His expertise are invaluable to the BUC initiatives to grow deep rooted perennial grasses to for land reclamation and to stop soil erosion in Haiti. The 501c3 BUC is achieving success in stabilizing soils on mountain slopes, and landscaping around homes with perennial grasses in Haiti, a country with among the highest levels of soil erosion in the world. Soil erosion contributes towards poverty in Haiti, accentuates mudslides during hurricanes, robs animals of habitat, causes the loss of rich agricultural soils and silts water reservoirs. This grass planting initiative, funded through donations, reverses these challenges. Click here to continue…
MARCH 28, 2020
THE CALL ON LIEUTENANT GENERAL RUSSEL L. HONORÉ
Great work being done by our board of advisors’ Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré for the leadership on the Logistics of COVID-19 virus. During difficult times as we are in, the Nation calls on the Hero to Katrina and “National Treasure”, as described by MSNBC, General Honoré for leadership.
His interviews are available at:
JANUARY 26, 2020
BETHEL LONG TERM COMMITMENT TO THE HAITI GRASS PROJECT
In their Church services on Sunday, January 26 and in a follow up service on February 2, 2020, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Tallahassee, Florida expressed its commitment to the Haiti grass project for the next three years.
The project goal is to alleviate soil erosion and poverty through the planting of deep-rooted perennial grasses throughout the island. The land reclamation program, led by Better Universe and Citizens, a nonprofit organization, has developed numerous partners including religious groups, universities, civic organizations, private industry and individual donors. The program is expected to reduce mudslides, build up soils and improve agriculture. An article published by the local Capitol Outlook newspaper, “Haiti grass restoration project has Tallahassee roots”, provided a well-balanced description of the implementation challenges. Click here to continue…
JANUARY 15, 2020
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Board of Advisors to the Haiti Grass Initiative, renowned human rights attorney Robin Hassler Thompson will address Rotarians on labor trafficking. In ability of natural resources to support community needs is one of the causes for the recent increases in human trafficking. Resilient ecosystems are part solution to Human Trafficking. Robin served as the National Advisory Council on Violence against Women appointed by the U. S. Department of Justice.