Community Empowerment

Foundation Enfant Jesus (FEJ) is a nonprofit, non-denominational organization that operates developmental programs aimed at addressing and trying to solve key life sustainability problems that confront the residents within the rural villages of Haiti. We believe that all empowerment begins with fundamental education in whatever form it takes to help make productive changes within the lives of individuals and their communities. We aim to empower the leaders and residents within rural communities to obtain the adequate tools to achieve self-sustainability.

FEJ (Foundation Enfant Jesus) is operating in the village of Lamardelle, located in an area that is about 15 miles from the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. Due to a lack of infrastructure within the country, there are no paved roads or reliable transportation between the two locations. International aid is not able to reach the village and most of the 20,000 people in this area are forced to live in primitive conditions. Therefore, in addition to the primary school and crèche, FEJ has been focusing its efforts intensively for several years now by way of offering opportunities for education, improved health, and self-sustaining employment through vocational training, agricultural development, microenterprise, and a clean water program. FEJ is currently the provider of clean water for the community as well as the Reinsertion Socio-

Economic Program (microenterprise) for impoverished women within the area.
FEJ believes that all basic needs must be met in order for an individual or community to advance. Therefore, we apply a holistic approached by incorporating a continuum of programs to assist individuals and the community to acquire self-sustainability. Focusing our effort on one village at a time, the continuum programs that we are implementing in the village of Lamardelle are the following: