KAMI Newsletter 8
- 1. www.kamifoundationforhaiti.org Page 1 KATHLEEN JOBIN REPORT On November 5th, 2013, Michel and I, accompanied by Leo Lesperance, began the fall trip to Haiti. We were bringing with us parts and burners for 75 more stoves. (The remainder of our order from Goodfire in the Philippines, 125 burners, arrived two days after we left.) We arrived safely in Terrier Rouge on November 6th, after spending one night in the D.R. Jocelyn Latour, KAMI's agent in Haiti, met us at the border with helpers to carry our heavy suitcases, and Bopa, who drove the pick- up truck that was our transport. In Terrier Rouge we were greeted by Nazou who cleans and cooks for us, Benson, companion and errand-boy, and Mr. Louis, the night- watchman. During our stay in Haiti we did our usual visits to the Raboure and Bawochen Cooperatives to renew acquaintances and check on the Jatropha trees. There were stove demonstrations to groups interested in the KAMI stoves which we attended, and visits by neighborhood boys who wanted to show off their musical ability with their home-made instruments. We also had the added adventure of a swarm of bees that installed themselves just outside the door of our living quarters, and had to be dealt with. When Leo and I left Haiti on November 14th, we knew Michel was finding it more difficult to get around, but he was looking forward to spending time with the visitors that always came to see him. He was planning to renew the contracts with KAMI contractors, have discussions with the stove and tank manufacturers, and basically attend to business. He was also enjoying his time away from our Canadian winter. On November 26th, I received the news that Michel had passed away. My only consolation was that Jocelyn had been with him, that he had received medical attention, and that he had not been alone. He was with people who truly cared for him and for whom he cared so much. What Will Happen To KAMI Without Michel? In the difficult days following Michel's death generous friends and supporters came forward to offer their help and encouragement so that Michel's legacy and work in Haiti could continue. Thanks to them, I am happy to report that KAMI is thriving. Stoves are continuing to be built, and at last count 1,500 are in use in and around the community of Terrier Rouge. The Jatropha trees are in production, and an oil press is on its way to Haiti. (see story inside). We have renewed our lease for the KAMI building for another three years. A fund-raising event was held in April, and others are being planned. The next steps are to obtain a generator, available in Cap-Haitian, to power the oil press, and to get delivery of the oil-cleaner, which has already been purchased. Thanks to the initiative and work of Robert Wilson, this newsletter has come about. As Michel said so often, "La vie continue"---Life goes on! Kathleen Jobin KAMI FOUNDATION FOR HAITI JUNE 2014 ISSUE 8 UPCOMING FUNDRAISING EVENT OIL PRESS FUNDRAISER: Authors, Booksigning and Artists An afternoon of Readings by Mary Keenan, Karl Backhaus, Elizabeth Armstrong and Fr. Stephen Deák and Songs by Alexandra Asher and Melissa Kerr When: Saturday July 19, 2:00 pm Where: Mount Alverno Retreat Center 20704 Heart Lake Road, Caledon, ON L7K 2A2 Cost: $30, Refreshments will be served. Tickets sold on June 7, 8, 28 and 29 at St. Timothy Parish, Orangeville, Ontario or by calling 1-519-940-1571 Funds to go to KAMI Foundation towards an Oil Press for Haiti. Hosted by Ann Lay and Sylvie GilAlfau
- 2. www.kamifoundationforhaiti.org Page 2 MICHEL AND KATHLEEN JOBIN GIVEN AN HUMANITARION AWARD Pierspective Entraide Humanitaire is a Canadian organization dedicated to helping the underprivileged in Haiti. On November 23, 2013 it gave an humanitarion award to Michel and Kathleen Jobin for their work in helping the people of Haiti move from wood burning to keroscene stoves for their cooking. The Jobins were honoured in a Fundraising Gala held at the Don Valley Hotel and Suites in Toronto. The KAMI Foundation was introduced that evening by Antoine Derose.The award was presented by the Haitian Ambassador to Canada, Frantz Liautaud and accepted by May Maskow as Michel was in Haiti and Kathleen’s attendance was prevented by winter weather. KAMI DINNER/SILENT AUCTION Once again Leo Lesperance and his family with the help of Kathleen Jobin and her daughter Stephanie, held a KAMI fund raiser on April 13, 2014. With the help of David Brunelle, owner of the Maitre D' restaurant in Penetanguishene, 45 people were treated to a typical Haitian meal. A wide variety of donated gifts from family, friends and local businesses helped make the silent auction a great success. A total of $2,614 was raised at the event. Leo and Kathleen wish to thank everyone who both participated and contributed to this worthy cause. Au prochain rendez-vous... Un gros merci. Louise Attwood, Leo’s daughter. MICHEL JOBIN PASSED AWAY IN HAITI Michel Jobin passed away suddenly in Haiti on November 26th, 2013 in his 71st year. A Memorial Mass was celebrated at St. Patrick's Church in Perkinsfield on Saturday, January 11, 2014 at 12 noon. Spring internment in St. Patrick's Cemetery in Perkinsfield. Michel passed away in the country that he loved and where he spent considerable time over the past 26 years. During that time he had been involved in numerous activities which included setting up two agricultural schools in the North of Haiti. In 2009 along with his wife Kathleen and many generous supporters, he founded the KAMI Foundation for Haiti. He leaves behind his wife, four children, their spouses and 17 grandchildren. 2013 FINANCIAL SUMMARY REVENUE – From SHARE Directly $12,500.00 To KAMI Directly 5,888.20 Through SHARE 25,281.48 Total Revenue $43,669.68 EXPENSES – Stove Program $37,424.85 Co-operatives 1,331.88 Administration 1,416.34 Other 6,385.92 Total Expenses $46,558.99 Shortfall $ 2,889.31 EXPENSES Main costs are for making and promoting the stoves. Co-operatives’ cost include digging a well and buying vegetable seeds. Administration costs included office supplies and telephone. Other included travel expenses, building maintenance, motorcycle costs and support services during visits. Leo and Kathleen at the dinner Michel visiting a Haitian school Ambassador Franz Liautaud, May Maskow and Antoine Derose Michel in Haiti - 2012 Louise Attwood at Auction Table
- 3. www.kamifoundationforhaiti.org Page 3 EXTRUDER ON ITS WAY TO HAITI An important part of Kami Foundation's stove project has been that eventually the people using the stoves would produce at least part of their own fuel to replace or supplement kerosene. Michel Jobin believed that Jatropha could be the source of that fuel. The planted Jatropha trees are now entering production; the next step was to procure an oil press. Michel had contacted a company in Wisconsin that built the type of press required, but what was needed was finding the funds and also finding a way to get it into Haiti. Ann Lay and May Maskow had given a presentation to the Collingwood Rotary Club, and Michel had discussed with Brian Hickey that their club would hold $10,000 for the oil press project, conditional on Kami finding a way to fund the extra costs for transportation, customs etc. In early April, Ann Lay located a group in Virgil Ontario that was preparing to send a container to Gonaive, Haiti, on May 9th. At the time I did not believe that this could help us, since Gonaive is quite a distance from Terrier Rouge and transportation would be a major problem. Jocelyn Latour however, told me that the roads were much improved, and that it would be possible to hire someone with a truck to go to Gonaive to get the press once it arrived. There followed a very amazing series of events, any one of which could have meant failure for us. 1) I contacted Howard Bougasat from the Haiti Lutheran Mission, who was the contact person responsible for the container. He had already spoken to both Ann and May, and assured me that if we were able to get the oil press to Virgil on or before May 9th, they would put it into the container. 2) I then called Ryan at the Oil Press Co. on April 14th, and he told me that usually they required at least three to four weeks lead-up time, but since Haiti was very special to him, he would do his very best to get a press built on time and he would order the parts immediately if I could send him the money within the next two days. 3) I knew that the Share Project Committee was to meet on April 15th, so I called Les Frayne to ask him if he could include a request from Kami to help us fund the oil press, and he agreed that although their agenda was very full, he would try to include us. The next morning he called to say that they were to recommend to their Board that Share consider allotting $5,000 U.S. towards our project. 4) On April 16th I sent money to the Oil Press Co. and officially placed the order for an oil press and oil cleaner. 5) On May 2nd I received a call from the company to say that the press was ready to ship, and they needed to know the brokerage firm that would get it through Canadian customs. 6) At that point I did not know what to do. I called Howard to see if he knew a broker, but no such luck. Ann Lay then told May about Silvie GilAlfau, a long-time Kami supporter. May contacted Sylvie who basically said, "that is right in my line of work, and I will take it from here." Sylvie found a broker, arranged for shipping and informed me that the press would arrive in Guelph on Friday May 9th. 7) On May 9th I met Sylvie at Ann's place and we travelled together to Guelph, got the crate containing our oil press loaded into Sylvie's truck and headed for Virgil. We arrived there at approximately 4:30 p.m., where May and Robert were waiting to record the event. The press, as well as more stove parts, were loaded into the container and are now on their way to Haiti. Without the promise of financial help from the Collingwood Rotary Club and the Share Agriculture Foundation, and without the active participation of Ann Lay, May Maskow, Robert Wilson, and Sylvie GilAlfau, and the kindness of the Haiti Lutheran Mission, this all could never have happened. We hope one day soon to publish pictures of the Kami Oil Press in operation. Kathleen Jobin Collingwood Rotary Executive (from left) Pam Hillier (President), Brian Hickey (International), May Maskow, Paul Darby (Past President), Mary Gibson (PR) Oil Press purchased for KAMI (from Left) Ann Lay, Howard Bougasat, Kathleen Jobin, Walley Bougasat, May Maskow and Sylvie GilAlfau Container getting ready for Haiti Kathleen Jobin with the crated extruder in the container
- 4. www.kamifoundationforhaiti.org Page 4 Manager: Kathleen JOBIN Advisors: Vitoria MENESES, Finance Ann LAY May MAKOW Jean-Paul GAUTHIER Stephen WHITE Mike LABELLE Leo LESPERANCE Idalina FERREIRA WEBMASTER: May MASKOW NEWSLETTER: Robert WILSON Contracted Agent in Haiti: Jocelyn LATOUR Supporter to KAMI S.H.A.R.E. Agriculture Foundation KAMI’S Goals: To locally manufacture economical, efficient, environmentally friendly and healthier kerosene stoves to replace wood and charcoal. To encourage the culture of Jatropha and its transformation into bio-diesel to eventually replace kerosene. To provide environment education to the local population. YOU TOO CAN HELP! For Donations of less than $100, please make cheques to KAMI Foundation for Haiti (KAMI is too small to issue Tax Receipts). For Donations of $100 or more, please make cheques payable to S.H.A.R.E AGRICULTURE FOUNDATION with “KAMI Foundation” in the memo box. S.H.A.R.E. will issue Tax Receipts. All Donations are most gratefully received and should be mailed to: KAMI FOUNDATION for HAITI 927 Montreal Street Midland, Ontario M4R 1H1 e-mail: kathleenjobin@yahoo.ca Web: www.kamifoundationforhaiti.org THANK YOU TO OUR RECENT SUPPORTERS Thank you to the Collingwood Rotary Club along with the S.H.A.R.E. Agriculture Foundation for supporting the purchase of the extractor and oil cleaner. Thanks also to the S.H.A.R.E. Agriculture Foundations and the Haiti Lutheran Mission Society for funding the transportation of the oil extractor from Wisconsin to Haiti (See accompaning story). Thanks also to: Toronto Funding Network for raising money for 300 KAMI stoves Leo Lesperance and family for hosting a Fundrasing Dinner Hilda Bell for her 2 nd Yard Sale in Toronto for KAMI and The Cure AND to many individuals such as you, who have made contributions to KAMI. Awareness Trip to Haiti KAMI offers supporters the opportunity to visit Terrier-Rouge to see first- hand the KAMI operations and experience the life and culture of Haiti. Attend KAMI stove orientation sessions. Visit homes with KAMI stoves installed. See the welders who make the stove frames and the kerosene containers. See the Co-operatives with Jatropha trees growing to maturity. Visit the Terrier-Rouge market and a local school, attend church and be entertained by local musicians. For information, contact Kathleen Jobin 705-526-7554 e-mail: kathleenjobin@yahoo.ca Hilda and Jim Bell at their 2nd Yard Sale for KAMI and for The Cure