Solar-Dried Mangoes, Shipped by Sail

In the Caribbean, mangoes ripen in abundance during a short season, and without ways to preserve them, many go to waste. Nesilnor—a farmer of Ile-à-Vache—used to dry mangoes with solar dryers. 

This activity had stopped because his collaborator Michel, a Frenchman who used to sell the dried mangoes in France, could no longer travel to Haiti—Port-au-Prince has become too dangerous due to armed gang control, making international access extremely difficult.

But by sailing we can come to Ile-à-Vaches and ship the mangoes to Europe by sail.

So thanks to the power of the wind, we are getting the project back on its feet and they are already drying mangoes !

You can already reserve your pack of dried mangoes by sending us a message. 

Low-tech workshop and hub 

We will create a low-tech workshop and hub so that every one can build and use different useful low-tech solutions: pedal-powered devices, dry toilets, solar cooker, solar dryers. 

The goals
This workshop aims to foster local autonomy by supporting the creation of micro-economies, without relying on NGOs or unstable external resources, and in an ecological and sustainable way : 

• A workshop run by local Haitians
  Built together with local residents, this workshop would train people to fabricate, maintain, and adapt low-tech machines. These could be sold at affordable prices locally, while also having higher resale potential for external buyers (businesses, NGOs, tourism, etc.) to help finance and sustain the workshop.

• Micro-activities created by the machines themselves
  For example, women could use pedal blenders to produce and sell fresh juices, using local fruits (like mangoes in season), generating a direct and sustainable source of income.

Where on the island ?
A community center already exists in the village; residents regularly go there to charge their phones and take part in activities — it's a gathering place. We would love to have the workshop at this same place.