This continues my 3-day road trip post. On Saturday Day 1 we went to
Papillon Enterprises, the boutique of the Apparent Project which strives to
prevent orphanages by teaching job skills to its employees who create jewelry
and art. Thus the employees have income
and don’t need to put their kids in orphanages which are big business in Haiti
(even I was encouraged to start one as a business venture). Many ‘orphans’ are really kids whose parents
were desperate enough that they gave them to strangers at an ‘orphanage’ to be
cared for. There are even people who go
around collecting kids for these orphanages, where the kids essentially work as
slaves and may be sold to other people, while the person running it collects
all the donated money. I know this from
a friend who reunites these kids with their families.
Workers at the Apparent Project make
their own beads out of Haitian clay. It
is a refreshing change from all the rolled bead projects that have become
popular (which they also make). Last
year here in Les Cayes I met a woman selling jewelry she had made through this
program. It was nice to see that the
store and woman who runs the business actually exist! (I’ll have to do another post on all the
foundations that I’ve been asked to support!).
We then spent the afternoon at the
art fair at the Parc Historique de la Canne a Sucre (Sugar Cane Museum). It cost 300 gds (~$7US) to get in, and the
ticket came with a free pop, 50gds in digicel minutes, and 150gds to use at any
booth.
There were the typical metal art,
ash(?) sculpture, and food/syrupy alcohol product booths. But new to me were the handcrafted fashion
products. The Apparent Project had a
booth there. Others included variations
of beaded purses and sandals, scarves and dresses, and crocheted dresses,
sandals, and bathing suits. The clothing
was quite expensive, >$100US for some items.
Our best find was a paper mache barn
owl which Rhoda bought for me! I will
use it in teaching and fill it with candy so kids have a good association with
owls (which most people seem to associate with demons).
We ended our outing with a trip to
the grocery store which deserves its own post, as I live in Les Cayes which
seems to have slim pickings compared to the Port grocery stores. Stay tuned for Day 2 at the beach!
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| Look for the pink gate to go to the Apparent Project boutique. |
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| Beads made and sold at the Apparent Project boutique. |
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| Entrance to art fair was across from the US Embassy. |
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| Too much metal art - if anyone who runs the art fair reads this, contact me for suggestions! |
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| Fashion booths |
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| Pressing sugar cane for fresh juice. |
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| Apparent Project gifts. A new bag that isn't so long it hits the moto wheels! |
