About Abner: Abner Sauveur, a community activist from rural Haiti, is in Moscow, Idaho and will be staying here until the end of August. The goals for his trip are to (1) learn enough English so he can begin to talk with people in English about himself and the work he does, (2) raise awareness about that work, and (3) find friends, collaborators and financial support.
Abner is co-founder and co-director of a progressive community school. He helped found an organization dedicated to sustainable food production and environmental restoration.
Abner's organizing and communication skills have been at the heart of the response to the earthquake in his region. Homes remain damaged. Many people lost family members in the cities. An economic and hunger crisis continues to unfold. He has much to share about the realities of rural Haiti--problems we don't even know about and problems we imagine that aren't such big problems after all. Abner continuously seeks to get people communicating in concrete and positive ways about improving their situations.
Abner arrived at the beginning of July. He is staying at Pam Palmer's house on Kenneth St., has a bike and is easing into his schedule. Thanks to Louise-Marie Dandurand's persistent and patient telephone skills, Abner has a weekly schedule of work/visits with the WSU organic garden, UI Soil Science, Backyard Harvest, and some other farms and gardens.
If you would like to invite Abner to speak with your group or organization, please contact Nancy Casey nancy@turbonet.com.
If you would like to connect with Abner more informally, the Farmer's Market or the Co-op's Tuesday evening market are likely places to find him. Or hovering near the Fish Folks late Friday afternoons in the Co-op parking lot.
Abner's email is abnerlkm@gmail.com
Radio Interviews: Abner and Nancy are making a series of radio programs in English and Haitian Creole that to air on KRFP Moscow 92.5 and in Haiti.
The 6-month anniversary of the Earthquake: 7-12-10
Agriculture, Language, Education in Haiti: 7-19-10
Conversation with University of Idaho Professor Emeritus of Philosophy who is also KRFP's Palouse Pundit, Nick Gier. 8-2-10
Conversation with Nurse Practitioner Maree McHugh
People continued to live in this house after the earthquake.
A one-room house built for this woman and her terminally ill daughter after their house was destroyed in the earthquake.
Making charcoal causes deforestation and soil erosion. For many families, however, charcoal is the only way to get a little cash for schoolbooks, medicine, and food.
A group of people working together at a garden site.
Small group meeting to discuss possible projects
A meeting where representatives from 15 grassroots groups discuss challenges, priorities, and strategies. Lack of food to serve to people who come a long distance for a day-long meeting makes meetings like this rare.
Bread and juice might be served at the beginning of the day.
A hot mealis served before everyone goes home.
This woman made money off her garden.
To contribute financially to Abner's work you can make a tax-deductible donation to: VP Foundation PO Box 9757 Moscow, ID 83843 or donate online by going to www.couragewoman.org/donate.htm. You can target your donation: Write "Farming" on the memo line and it will support sustainable food production. Or write "Earthquake relief" to help with the food and housing crisis. Or just write "Abner".