Andeyò : Throwback on Mennen'm La Tours

Today, we are closing our Andeyò series and saying goodbye to summer with this throwback share by Ann-Sophie. Thank you for sharing all your Haitian summer memories with us throughout this series!

A few times during my coaching trips or events in the US, some people will ask me "How do you do it? How do you plan all this? Where do you even find the contacts or know where to start?" Recently, this question got me to talk (with teary eyes) about the real reason this comes easily to me now. Even though the format is different now, in essence, it is the same as what started it all. For about 7 years, I was taking people on tours almost all over Haiti. When I started Mennen’m la Tours in 2015, It was 100% focused on social tourism, meaning creating employments an d promoting social development through touristic activities.

Throughout this journey, Mennen’m La tours focused on touching some areas of Haiti that I deemed too beautiful not to be known by most people, sometimes we were the ones to install the first toilets there! Creating jobs by allowing locals to: rent rooms in their houses, give cooking classes, teach art classes, do storytelling (ti koze ak peyizan), and tour guests around places they called home: These beautiful and underdeveloped pairs of the country.

No need to say it came with huge challenges but also amazing memories. From the art classes in Jacmel, to the beautiful beaches of Ile à Vache, to the local peanut butter in Nippes, these tours truly allowed me to discover time and time again the beauty of this country!

Today, I may not be taking people around Haiti anymore but these souvenirs always bring a smile to my face and played such a big role in the person I am today.

All pictures were taken by Verdy Verna.

Down memory lane with Fabienne

“I will never forget also that HDC gave me the opportunity to find solutions and not sit on the problems. It was always encouraged to find a way to make it work. ”

— Fabienne Deplat

I have a lot of good memories about Haiti Design co! I am going to share my favorite ones. At HDC we always had something going on besides making beautiful products. 

My first memory was on the rooftop not only when we were receiving teams there  but we were having social training for the staff. So many great things happened on that rooftop: the birthday parties, the training, English classes etc . Those moments were so important because they are rare in workspaces in Haiti. 

Another good memory was in the manager meeting, I believe it was always on a Monday, until this day I remember those meetings and one of the frequently asked questions were : kisa w'ap kenbe kisa w'ap lage? what are you holding on to what are going to let go of. 

I can also talk about the challenge that the artisans used to overcome by creating beautiful things. I remember when they came to the workshop either to receive others or to get paid. I can remember fighting with the artisans to respect deadlines, patterns… I can laugh about that today but at the end of day we always found a way to solve issues. 

I will never forget also that HDC gave me the opportunity to find solutions ( pa chita sou  problèm) and not sit on the problems. It was always encouraged to find a way to make it work. 

Time spent at Haiti Design is unforgettable, so many great things happened. We had a lot of fun, we learned how to create, to grow, to adjust in Haiti but definitely creating a good impact in the Haitian community. 

KENBE LAGE: GOING INTO 2023

2023 is almost here which means it’s time for another Kenbe Lage. This tradition that is so dear to us consists of vocalizing what we want to keep for 2023 and what we are letting go of and leaving in 2022. Here is what some of our artisans are saying:

Abraham

What I am keeping: A positive spirit, Love, Joy, Creativity, Team spirit.

What I am leaving behind: Negativity, stress, timidity/shyness, feelings of inferiority, discouragement

Ismaella

What I am keeping: Encouragement, patience, Team spirit, Self-control, Love, The spirit of sharing, Motivation

What I am leaving behind: Doubt, fear, negative spirit, laziness

Maxane

What I am keeping: Faith, Positive spirit, Hard work, Team spirit, Patience.

What I am leaving behind: Hypocrisy, bitterness, jealousy, limited mindset, fear.

Mona

What I am keeping: Wisdom, Love, Self-control, Hard work

What I am leaving behind: Anger, impatience.

What a year this has been! The most difficult one no doubt but also the one where we learned the most about our strength and power to overcome.

On behalf of the whole team,

THANK YOU!

Haiti Highlight: Jacmel

Our sweet Caribbean island is home to diverse landscapes and rich beauty, and while we love that our work and home life is centered in the vibrant city of Port au Prince, there is nothing else like a quick beach getaway. That's where the lovely Jacmel comes in.

Located in the Southern part of the island, Jacmel is an old port town originally founded by the Spanish, but repopulated by the French. The French influence is heavy, but most heavily seen in the grand colonial architecture. There are buildings centuries old complete with large pillars, wrought-iron gates, spiral staircases, and intricate designs tiled across the floor.

The colors are just as rich as the history with pops of blues and greens spread across the town. The photo below is from the iconic Hotel Florita, known for its classic gingerbread style architecture and delicious rhum sours. 

Beyond its beautiful beaches and preserved architecture, Jacmel has a vibrant arts scene and serves as one of Haiti's most culturally-rich hubs for handmade goods. This especially come to life every year in Carnival season. In February, our team not only got to experience the colorful parade, but we were also able to visit some of our partner artisans, our woodworking team! Boss Jonas and his team live in the mountains and craft beautiful wood pieces completely by hand. 

Lastly, Jacmel is home to Bassin Bleu, a series of 3 deep natural pools tucked away in the mountains. Accessible only by a guided hike through lush mountain greens, the pools are a deep, mesmerizing teal. You can spend the afternoon jumping, diving, and swimming with the mermaids. 

Oh and did we mention the sunsets?