Meet Fredane, a Vi Bella Artisan
Fredane traces her fingers along the banister of the porch. Her home is tucked back from the primary road in Simonette that leads down to the shore of the ocean. Outside, on the main stretch, a few men gather around a rickety old table playing dominos. They cackle as one slaps down a single piece on the wooden surface as another takes a swig of his cold Prestige.
Meet Fernanda
Meet Fernanda, the Director of Artisan Well-Being at Vi Bella. Fernanda's main focus is creating a positive, Christ centered workplace, one that supports the entire Vi Bella team. She leads weekly bible studies and prayer with the artisans and coordinates counseling resources as needed.
Sandra's Story
Imagine being a teenager, losing your home and limb, and having no way of being able to provide for yourself. What does your future look like in an extremely poor and volatile country where work is difficult to come by, even for those who can freely and safely get around? Where do you find community and purpose? Can you ever feel hope again?
Sharing Bellard's Story
The following submission is written by Lauren Neal, a friend of Vi Bella and a friend of Haiti. Lauren is a Photographer who visits often to document the beauty of Haiti and the Haitian people. Speaking the Creole language, she is able to capture their stories with nuance and respect.
Meet Adeline
From her picture alone, you can see that Adeline has a contagious joy. Through her employment with Vi Bella, she restored her dignity, and along with it, her joy. Adeline has been with Vi Bella since the beginning. “I love my job, and I love every part of it!”
Meet Jasmine
Meet Jasmine, a vital member of our Artisan team in Haiti. Jasmine is a pattern and fabric cutter at Vi Bella, who has been with us for almost two years. She lives in a community for the deaf with her children in housing that was built by the Mission of Hope several years ago.
Meet Anise
At Vi Bella, it is our goal is to provide a pathway out of poverty for those who do not have access to stable employment. With every Artisan we employ, it is our hope that they become more independent and capable of providing for themselves and their families.
Meet Jenny
At Vi Bella, it is our goal is to provide a pathway out of poverty for those who do not have access to stable employment. With every Artisan we employ, it is our hope that they become more independent and capable of providing for themselves and their families.
Haiti Through a Child's Eyes
Within moments, our plane would wing right over the tin and tented shantytowns. These are the jagged quarters of our fellow man, in the midst of a hardscrabble fight with hunger or thirst – some days uncertain who will win. We flew over top of these whole communities heaving with pain.