Our Works
The ministry of fresh mangoes, meaty coconuts and the shade of trees by Fannie Dionne | photos : Jean Denis Saint Félix, SJ, Marcel Charélus, SJ and Frère Mathurin
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Sometimes I find it hard to look at the deforested mountains in some departments,” says Br. Marcel Charélus, SJ, director of the Centre de Spiritualité Pierre-Favre in Port-au-Prince. Fortunately, Haitian Jesuits such as Br. Marcel and Br. Mathurin Charlot, SJ, are involved in some reforestation projects. The latter, an agricultural technician and one of the oldest Jesuits in Haiti, works in the Artibonite Department with the Project to Support Reforestation and Agricultural Development (PAREDA). Br. Marcel describes their work and the impact of reforestation. In Haiti, planting trees has many benefits for people.
HOW DO YOU AND BR. MATHURIN CONTRIBUTE TO REFORESTATION? Br. Mathurin’s job focuses on the environment. He works in a rural setting, accompanying farmers. He is also involved in reforestation; we don’t see many people up in his area doing this type of work. What he does is very beautiful; he reforests small mountains. He grows a lot of high-quality mangoes. It’s one of his best products, even though he doesn’t like to eat them! The area where he lives is covered with trees: mango trees, coconut palms, tamarind trees. He also grows beans, onions, tomatoes, bananas.
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