Agricultural Projects and Training
The vision of UCI/UTK (United Christian Workers) is to preach an integrated gospel that will result in sustainable development. Their goals include:
- Enable more people to work the land in the dry and rainy seasons
- Diminish the number of trees cut down
- Empower people to support themselves without hand-outs
- Witness the power of God
With laws governing the conservation of trees not enforced, 90% of the population cut down trees indiscriminately. The annual rainfall has diminished in many parts of the country and affected harvests.
One way to increase food production for Haitians is through water pumps. Two-thirds of the cost is paid back into the program over 2 years. The pumps are used cooperatively with 5 farmers across 50 communities who all become educated, trained, and encouraged to develop an economic plan for how the pump will affect their crops growth.
UTK also provides training seminars to explain modern farming techniques such as rotation of crops, staggering of planting, companion planting, insecticides/fertilizer application, and the maintenance and use of the pump itself. At the end of the training, each garden is prepared with irrigation canals and the pumps are installed. This project can significantly increase the agriculture production of the entire nation of Haiti.
UCI also carries out a female goat giveaway, educating recipients on raising the animals, along with a simple economic program for investing. Pigs, goats, or cows are given to a local family with the condition that the first female born be given back to UCI. UCI then gives the animals to other families in the area. This tithing program has experienced tremendous success.
UCI has:
- Over 50 irrigation pumps in use
- Over 2,000 animals circulating through their tithing program
- Over 500,000 trees have been planted, grafted, or distributed.
Please contact [email protected], or check out our Get Involved page to learn how you can support UCI financially or join us in our mission.
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’
~ 2 Thessalonians 3:10