With father’s day fast approaching, it’s the time of year we pay extra special attention to dad. Kaitryn’s dad taught her how to read through retelling the Harry Potter books. Christophe’s dad sat with him when he had an earache and taught him how to say thank you in four languages. Molly’s dad made a mean marinara, sang off-key, and enjoyed wearing socks with his Red Wing cowboy boots. Our dads have been there for us, and we cherish them.
Haitian Fathers
In Haiti, it’s the same thing: dads teach children important activities, role model great behavior, and attempt to put food on the table, which is difficult for so many reasons:
- The per-capita gross national income is less than $800 a year for a farmer family. It’s no wonder Haiti is considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Most Haitians take home $2.50 a day. With an average family size of 4.4 people, imagine feeding a household with $800 a year!
- 90% schools in Haiti are private — require tuition. 88% of children attend primary school while 20% enroll in secondary school. Most families can’t afford to send all of their children to school; many girls have to forfeit a basic education by staying home.
- Moreover, only 50% of Haiti’s water is potable; rural places have an especially hard time getting access to clean water compared to those living in cities. Most childhood illnesses stem from bad drinking water, and that $800 annual income doesn’t go far if medical treatment is required.
- Without access to public transportation, Haitian dads need to pay for private taxis to shuttle kids to and from schools or other places.
Many Haitian fathers go above and beyond typical father duty
This article describes how a father of four collects plastic from sewage drains to earn money at the recycling center. He uses this money for school tuition. Did you know Father’s Day is celebrated in Haiti on the last Sunday in June?
With all this in mind, it’s challenging to be a dad in Haiti — to provide for your family. Singing Rooster helps dads to put food on the table by paying well for crops — at leas $3/lb green. We return proceeds from coffee sales to build better businesses. We also help dads regenerate tired fields, and upgrade old equipment. Ask any father in Haiti if he’d rather fish than be given a food and he’ll say “I want to fish” every time.
Coffee Special – Just for Dad
Our coffee specials – Just for Dad – change from year to year. This father’s day, honor your favorite dad (neighbor, friend), including dads in Haiti, by purchasing Haitian coffee gifts.
#yourcupmatters
#drinkhaitiancoffee