Community members are receiving training to set up a bakery, which will provide them with a sustainable source of income. Photo: Fe y Alegria

In Desormeaux, Haiti, economic hardship is an everyday reality—especially for mothers with limited ways to earn an income.  

A new initiative from Fe y Alegría Haiti’s Centre Éducatif Congréganiste Nationale Saint Michel Archange, aims to change that. The project, supported by Canadian Jesuits International, centers on a simple idea: a community-run bakery. 

It’s not just about baking bread — it’s about building hope and opportunity. The bakery project will train 45 women in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and electronic payments, equipping them with skills to co-manage the bakery or start their own small businesses.  

Beyond economic empowerment, the project also invests in education. It will include the rehabilitation of the educational infrastructure at the Centre Éducatif Congréganiste Nationale Saint Michel Archange. With improved facilities, over 300 students will benefit from a safer, more conducive learning environment.  

Expected Results 

• The community bakery becomes a sustainable source of income, enabling families to invest in education, nutrition, and other essential needs, and helping to break the cycle of poverty; 

• 45 mothers gain the skills and confidence needed to launch and manage the bakery, and possibly, their own microenterprises, becoming economically independent and community leaders; 

• Learning conditions improved for over 300 students, enhancing educational outcomes through better school infrastructure