Mike and Pam Plaiser have been doing mission work in Haiti since 1995. They founded Mission-Haiti as a non-profit organization in 2005 to provide a home for orphans, education for children, and evangelism and medical care. In March of 2010, I was invited to the orphanage to help with a construction project. What I found then, and, still find today is a nation and culture of people who have a strong faith in God and a desire to work their way out of the impoverished lifestyle that exists.

Ti-Rivier is the area that Mission-Haiti serves. It is quite remote and very poor. The Caribbean Sea has been over-fished in this area, and the soil conditions are very poor….simply put…the lack of food is quite depressing. This is a part of the world where children have been known to eat dirt cakes just to have something in their bellies.

In Mission-Haiti’s attempt to bring  nutritional food development to the region, I attended an aquaponics training program in 2011.

Aquaponics is the raising of fish (Tilapia) and plants in an aquatic environment. The fish are raised in an enclosed tank. Their waste provides the nutrition needed to grow vegetables. The plants oxygenate the water that is returned to the fish tank.

At this school I learned how to design an aquaponics center for Mission-Haiti’s compound in Ti-Rivier Haiti. In January 2012 the project began and the cement work was completed. We now have the fish tank and 3 grow fields for the vegetables. Due to inconsistent electric power, this entire system will be powered by solar energy with battery back-up for overnight water flow 

To complete this initial aquaponics project, we will need to finish the plumbing work, buy and install the solar power system, and purchase the needed aquaponic garden equipment. The total cost of this phase is $6500. 

In the future, phase two will begin. This is extremely exciting.  Home aquaponic systems will be made available to Haitian families, through sponsors,  to grow their own food. We plan to help families build their own systems, and will provide baby fish, seeds, and aquaponic education.

The families will be required to help other families with developing their own systems.

To make all of this possible, we need your help.

If you are able to help finance this project, please send your donation to Mission-Haiti and indicate aquaponics on the memo line.

If you already donate to Mission-Haiti….Thank you!  I would ask that this donation NOT replace what you are already doing to support Mission-Haiti, but be considered a one time gift for aquaponics development.

 Thank You for your donation. Your contribution to the Mission-Haiti aquaponics project could make a difference in the lives of many hungry Haitian children.

Sincerely,

 Bruce Millikan

Give a man a fish and he eats one day…..teach him to grow fish and vegetables, and the entire community eats.