June 18th, 2026
Dear *|FNAME|*,
A couple of weeks ago, my colleague Charlie and I had the absolute privilege to travel to Haiti for the first time since 2022 for the official launch of the Konbit Guide in Cap-Haïtien.
Our short visit came in the middle of an absolute marathon of activities for Gwoup Konbit as they launched not only the Guide, but their national campaign across the country to reach and train Haitians in all ten departments on the values and principles of Konbit—Haiti’s traditional form of mutual aid and collective action that is rooted in cultural agricultural practices.
Konbit is more than a farming tradition, and it’s more than an approach to development. It is a philosophy based on one of Haiti’s core tenets: L’Union fait la force, or Strength through Unity.
To quote a recent reflection written by Gwoup Konbit following a particularly emotional workshop:
“But perhaps that is where the power of Konbit shines through the most: when we find a space where we can take off our masks, share our truth, and let others carry part of our burden.
Because Konbit is not just about building roads, schools, or projects. It is also about helping people heal together.
Together we are strong.
Together we heal.
Together we build collective well-being.”
For their national campaign, Gwoup Konbit selected 22 facilitators—two from each of Haiti’s ten departments, plus two additional from the island of La Gonave—who, through the activities of the past several weeks, have been equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to bring the Konbit Guide to their respective departments. Throughout the next year, the facilitators, with support from Gwoup Konbit, will be training community leaders, local organizations, mutual aid groups, and more, in the values, principles, and implementation of Konbit.
I recommend you watch the official Guide launch video above, then take a look at our summary of the work that has spanned Haiti’s Gran Nò and Gran Sud regions, as well as the island of La Gonave, below. You won’t regret it.
Thank you to the partners supporting Roots and Gwoup Konbit through this national campaign, including Vitol Foundation, Montica, Center for Disaster Philanthropy, and of course, our incredible Roots family.
Sincerely,
Chad Bissonnette
President & Co-Founder
P.S., I hope you’ll join us at our Haiti vs Morocco Watch Party, to be held in Washington DC next Wednesday, June 24th, and co-hosted by Haitian Ladies Network and the Embassy of Haiti in DC. $10 tickets are available at haitisoccer.eventbrite.com.
Note: A previous email linked to a version of the Konbit Guide in Haitian Creole for purchase. Unfortunately, Amazon has decided to reject and de-activate the Haitian Creole version. We are working with them to resolve this matter and make the Haitian Creole version available for purchase in print and digital formats. An English version will be available this fall.
LAUNCH IN THE GRAN NÒ
On May 24th, the Gwoup Konbit team, along with the ten Konbit Facilitators representing the five departments of the Gran Nò—Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Artibonite, and Centre—made their way by plane and car to Hinche, a commune in Haiti’s Centre department, where they were hosted by Mouvman Peyizan Papay (MPP) for three days of training, reflection, and knowledge exchange.
During those three days, the Konbit Facilitators were trained on the content of the Konbit Guide and given the tools they need to train others throughout the rest of the national campaign. They also met with the elders and leaders of MPP, which was established in 1973, to learn from their more than fifty years of Konbit practice with communities across the Centre department. The Gwoup Konbit team honored them and shared with MPP the Konbit Guide, a tribute to and continuation of their work.
On May 27th, the team began the journey to Cap-Haïtien, stopping along the way to visit Pak Nan Ginen in Saint-Raphaël—a refuge, tree nursery, and founding member of Gwoup Konbit.
The next day, they paid a visit to the State University of Haiti campus, Club Konbit San Pou San Cap-Haïtien, and Mèt Fèy Vèt, a social entrepreneur committed to reviving corn production in Haiti.
The evening of the 28th, Gwoup Konbit was joined by the Roots team—Chad, Charlie, and Jessica—at Lakou Breda in Cap-Haïtien for an evening workshop reflecting on the facilitators’ experiences with MPP in the Centre department.
The Launch: On May 29th, 108 students, religious leaders, and representatives of mutual aid groups and civil society organizations came together at Lakou Breda to celebrate the official launch of the Konbit Guide. In total, Gwoup Konbit distributed 218 copies of the Guide throughout the Gran Nò.
LAUNCH IN THE GRAN SUD
The day after the launch in Cap-Haïtien, the Gwoup Konbit team flew to Les Cayes in the Sud department to meet the 12 facilitators that represent the departments of Gran Sud: Grand’Anse, Nippes, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est, plus the island of La Gonave. In Les Cayes, the team spent the day bringing copies of the Guide to community members.
The next day, before departing for Jérémie, they delivered copies of the Guide to Alliance Française des Cayes, IPDEC Library, the Municipal Library of Cayes, and the Haitian Education & Leadership Program (HELP).
Once in Jérémie, the Gwoup Konbit team began the three days of training for the 12 Konbit Facilitators of the Gran Sud at the Centre de Recherche pour le Développement Durable de la Montagne (CRDDM). In that time, they also visited with leaders of Fondation Nouvelle Grand’Anse (FNGA), Desyon Fanm Pou Avanse (DFA), Fondation Communautaire Haitienne- Espwa, and others, and hosted a community forum in Despay.
The Launch: On June 5th, 195 people gathered at Universite Nouvelle Grand’Anse in Jérémie for the official launch of the Guide in the South. In total, Gwoup konbit distributed 95 copies of the Guide throughout the Gran Sud region.
Then, a few members of the Gwoup Konbit team travelled on to the island of La Gonave, where they held another launch event on June 11th. 91 people, including community leaders, students, university and vocational school officials, and representatives of organizations on the island, gathered in Anse-a-Galets, and 21 copies of the Guide were distributed.
Now, the Gwoup Konbit team is preparing for the final launch at their annual convening and anniversary celebration next week on June 25th in Port-au-Prince. Stay tuned for more updates on the campaign!