Centre Lumière Boutique in Simon

Hats, tissue holders, an apron.

I like to post about the gift and artisan shops I come across in Haiti to help promote locally made items, since it seems most of the stuff here is imported from China.  Only recently have I become aware of a cute boutique only 10 minutes from Les Cayes, in the neighborhood of Simon.  It is Center Lumière, whose business card says “Teacher training school for home economics and self-help-projects in Haiti.”  The centre is a place for women in the area to learn to make beautiful embroidered and crocheted decorative and useful items. 

Doll clothes

Center Lumière is located on the east end of Rue Simon.  Driving east on Rue Simon from the direction of the paved road to the airport, continue straight past the church with the high rock walls (do not turn right as if you are going to the hospital).  In ½ mile (?) you will come to a nicely built rock wall on the left with an orange gate (see photo).  Enter there, and the boutique is the building on the right.  I think they are open weekdays 9 – 3pm.  Their email is info@centrelumiere.de.

Christmas embroidery.

Purses, aprons, embroidered things.

Bags, aprons, children's dresses.

Crocheted sweaters

The boutique

Entrance to Centre Lumiere.

Busy teaching in Simon

John Kelly teaching about bats.

These past two weeks I have been busy teaching ecology in Simon, near Les Cayes.  Here are some pictures, check the AUC Audubon Center website for details.  We held two-hour workshops for high schoolers and primary school teachers in Simon.  Three teachers then invited us to their schools to teach in their class rooms.  James coordinated these visits, and students from Tropical Ecology helped and began teaching the classes.

James teaching at the high school student seminar.

Teacher seminar.

Dieubon and Pierre teaching at Lumiere et Vie.

Lumiere et Vie class with AUC students looking on.

Excelsior classroom building.

Adelin, a young student, Rodine, Dieubon, and James.

Rodine and Dieubon