In Belle-Anse, women farmers build resilience with Alianza-ActionAid’s support

“Now I can farm my land with my own tools” – Ovia Noel, 59, Pichon

Mother of six, Ovia Noel lived in extreme poverty before receiving support from Alianza por la Solidaridad–ActionAid Haiti (APS-AAH). Without farming tools and facing recurring pest infestations on her crops, she was forced to borrow in order to work. Today, things have changed:

“Now I can farm my land with the tools I have. The tools were the most useful because I couldn’t afford to buy them,” she says.

She also reports having strengthened her skills through training, especially in compost making a technique that helps her enrich the soil naturally.

“I feel more capable of making decisions for myself and my family,” she shares, highlighting her new role as a decision-maker both at home and in her community, where she now serves as a leader in a women's organization.

A similar dynamic in other communities

Like Ovia in Pichon, other women in remote areas of Belle-Anse are also seeing their daily lives transformed thanks to the project.

“I no longer borrow tools” – Letanie Saint Louis, 65, Mapou

In Mapou, Letanie Saint Louis, mother of seven, shares a similar story. Deprived of seeds and tools, she faced drought conditions with no means to cultivate her land.

“I no longer borrow tools, and I can work the land when I need to,” she says proudly.

Beyond the equipment, she has learned to diversify her crops through crop association and the planting of pigeon peas, a plant that helps regenerate the soil. Letanie is also committed to community solidarity and encourages other women not to feel ashamed of working the land:

“The wealth is in the soil. Don’t be ashamed to farm. Apply the principles and you’ll succeed.”

Sustainable Support at the Heart of Communities

Through targeted support combining training, material aid, and capacity building, APS-AAH continues to equip rural women in southeastern Haiti with the tools they need to transform their lives. Thanks to the distribution of seeds, agricultural tools, and awareness sessions on sustainable farming techniques, many women heads of households are regaining hope and dignity—even in a context marked by food insecurity and climate shocks.