THE KONBIT GUIDE
The Konbit Guide is a manual on the history, types, adaptations, and uses of konbit, including an exploration of konbit’s five values and twelve principles.
Konbit is a deeply Haitian tradition of mutual aid and solidarity stemming from rural agriculture–but its values and practices are reflected in counterpart terms and concepts around the world. The historic practice of konbit has been revived and embraced by a younger generation, rural and urban alike, as a way to reawaken collective strength across Haiti.
This volume was created through a collective process involving more than 300 people over the course of 55 workshops and five years. It is a living and breathing document intended to inform community-led action in Haiti and inspire other culturally rooted mutual aid movements around the world.
Included in the Guide are:
- Five values
- Twelve principles
- Ten steps to implementing a konbit-inspired initiative
- And more!
The Konbit Guide is for anyone, in and outside of Haiti, who wants to engage deeply with Haitian history and culture in the theory and practice of community development.
The Konbit Guide is currently available in print or digital on Amazon. It has also been translated into Haitian Creole, with an English version forthcoming.
You can learn more about the content of the Guide in our one-pagers, available in English, French, and Creole.
***
Gwoup Konbit is a social movement that brings together leaders, organizations, and community groups that engage in social change and practice the values and principles of konbit in initiatives that aim to build collective well-being.
The mission of Gwoup Konbit is to create a society where the social contract is built on the principles and values of konbit. We mobilize leaders, organizations, and community groups to create participatory spaces where resources and opportunities are shared to promote social change. We are committed to strengthening solidarity, sustaining social transformation initiatives, and facilitating sustainable development of communities.
Our vision is of a Haiti where Haitian culture, history, and values are centered in the creation of an equitable, thriving civil society; where every Haitian is engaged and invested in the wellness of their community and country.
