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From: Hubert Paul Normil, Director of Development
To: Della Land, Program Coordinator
Monthly Report: July 2001

We organized a solar cooking demonstration at Montrouis (Quisqueya Beach) at the request of the directors of the children’s group from the MEBSH (Evangelical Baptist Mission of Southern Haiti) Church of Salem. This demonstration was part of a variety of activities offered to the adolescent age group as part of a spiritual and recreational retreat. The foods cooked were: white rice, cakes and eggs. As always, this demonstration enthused all those attending to see eggs cooked without water. Around 110 leaders and young people attended this demonstration. The day of the demonstration seemed to have been well chosen, the sun was at the “rendez-vous.”

Following an earlier large solar cooking demonstration accompanied by the sale of cookies and cakes at the Nazarene Church of Carrefour at Waney 87, a seminar was held at the same place. There were 15 participants, three of whom are members of ODEURO (Organization for the Development of Urban and Rural Areas of the West), an organization working for the protection of the environment. Each participant was able to construct a panel (cookit) and to work with it during the course of the seminar. Different subjects, for example The Plan of Creation and Harmony of Creation, were presented during the course of the seminar. This seminar represents a first step and there will be many results because the majority of the participants were leaders who are heads of various associations and organizations.

We organized a seminar held July 23-25 at the Bible Institute for the benefit of GAVOL members and Program staff. The following were the objectives of the seminar:

  • To facilitate an avenue for exchange and interaction between the members of GAVOL and the Program.
  • To make the beneficiaries of the seminar more effective and efficient in their work as animators and trainers.
  • To further educate GAVOL members on certain concepts concerning solar energy and the environment.
In order to attain these objectives, we chose relative and connected themes. (The program of the seminar was attached to the original report.) Subjects treated during the course of the seminar:
  • The first hours of the program were 9:00-11:00 a.m. The speaker chosen to speak on “The Importance of the Tree in the Water Cycle” was not present and to cover that segment a cassette on the Pic Macay, which treated the subject, was played for the participants.
  • The importance of water was presented by two experienced engineers from SNEP (National Service of Potable Water).
  • How to write a report of activities for a development project was presented by Lydie Dubuisson, who works for MEDA as coordinator of evaluation, follow-up and training.
  • Thermic and photovoltaic solar energy was presented by Gérard Boulos, the head of Home Control.
After an analysis of the evaluation of the seminar, we compiled the following results:
  • 90% of the participants were 85% satisfied.
  • No participant was less than 50 per cent satisfied.
  • More than 85% of the participants expressed interest in the following subjects: the importance of water, how to write up a report of activities for a development project, photovoltaic solar, the greenhouse effect, the changing climate, and figures as related to the use of wood.
It is useful to note the presence of new members of GAVOL and three representatives from the Gonaïves committee, the delegate from the North District, the delegate from the South, as well as new members coming from Cape Haitien and Cayes.

We held a planning meeting with Mr. Rodolphe to discuss a possible seminar in the communal section of Jacmel. Mr. Rodolphe is from an association known as OBDEM situated in the area of Marbial. This newly reconstituted association will be working in the various sectors of education, health, the economy, and the environment. In the environmental section, the leaders of this association want to organize a seminar on the techniques of solar cooking which, according to the representative, will be a big first in the zone and will respond to a need for combustible fuel truly felt by the inhabitants of the zone. After discussion and analysis, we made the following resolution:
  • Organize a seminar for 25 participants with 5 participants coming from each district.
  • The date set for this seminar is September 19-21, 2001.
  • The transporting of materials will be the responsibility of the Association.
Those taking part in this meeting were Danise Gaspard, Secretary; Esnaïder Marcelat, Instructor/Trainer; Hubert Normil, Director of Development; and Mr. Rodolphe (OBDEM).

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