January 7, 2011
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As we count down to the one-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, we’d like to reflect on the stories of the individuals we’ve helped recover and rebuild their lives.  This series of posts includes the stories of people who have been able to recover from the biggest catastrophe in their country’s history.

As we count down to the one-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, we’d like to reflect on the stories of the individuals we’ve helped recover and rebuild their lives.  This series of posts includes the stories of people who have been able to recover from the biggest catastrophe in their country’s history.

Nicola

As a grandmother, Nicola not only works to provide for herself, but also to help support her children and grandchildren.

Even before the earthquake, Nicola had trouble doing this.

She tried to cultivate rice and maize, but found it to be too difficult. Even for young people, cultivating rice and maize is a backbreaking endeavor, and Nicola had little information about good quality seeds, fertilizer, or planting methods that would help her get the most out of her crops.

Four months ago, one of BRAC’s staff approached her and asked her to become part of our pilot nursery program. She agreed, and was given seeds and materials to start a tree nursery.

BRAC gave her seeds for papaya, mango, avocado and timber trees, and taught her how to plant and care for the seeds so that they grow into seedlings (small trees) which she could sell on the market. A BRAC staff person visits her weekly to see how the trees are doing and to give her tips.

Three months after starting the program, Nicola had seedlings large enough to make her first sale: four papaya trees at HTG 30 apiece. Not only is Nicola’s micro-franchise generating income for her and her family, but it’s helping to reforest her country.

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