Secours Catholique — Caritas France takes over from Planteurs Volontaires as the ARRONDI en caisse beneficiary in all of our French stores. In Haiti, the organisation is working to improve local communities' living conditions while preserving the last remaining forests. Find out more about their project!

From 16 November 2021, all the micro-donations of spare change made through the ARRONDI en caisse scheme in Maisons du Monde stores across France will be donated to Secours Catholique — Caritas France to be put towards its project called "Préserver les dernières forêts en Haïti" (Preserve the last remaining forests in Haiti).

A closer look at the forest preservation project led by Secours Catholique — Caritas France

With almost 60% of the population living below the poverty line and more than 4 million people in a situation of severe food insecurity, Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas. Regular natural disasters (such as hurricanes, earthquakes and floods) diminish harvests and cause the population's needs to no longer be met, leading to accelerated deforestation.

 

In this context, Secours Catholique — Caritas France is helping to improve local communities' living conditions with regards to food security, resilience to natural disasters, and climate change, among other issues, while preserving and restoring the last of the island's forests.

    Haiti secours catholique

    The Maisons du Monde Foundation is supporting Secours Catholique — Caritas France in its efforts to promote agroecology and protect the environment within six communities across five of the island's regions. The funds provided will make it possible to:

    • Raise awareness among at least 90% of families in these communities of the impacts of deforestation and the importance of protecting biodiversity
    • Restore forest cover by creating community nurseries and by planting 140,000 trees
    • Provide rural populations with training in agroecology and agroforestry techniques
    • Reduce the vulnerability of at least 50 hectares of natural and agricultural spaces to erosion
    • Purchase seeds and animals to ensure the food security of families in six communities
    • Organise six exchange visits between groups and develop four mutual solidarity systems within affected communities
    haiti secours catholique

    For more information, visit the project page on the MDM Foundation website or on the organisation's website.