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Haiti: Women of Martissant seek improvement
January 2000

By: Jean Denis Bien Aimé, Radio Haiti Inter, Jeremie
(Transcription and adaptation: Ives Marie Chanel)

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"Popular Women of Martissant" is the name of a women's organization based in the southwest of Port-au-Prince. In order to improve the economic situation of women, this organization has set up a sewing shop, which makes underwear, sheets, curtains and table clothes among others.

The initiative was started in 1995 by various groups of women who were living in difficult situations, were unemployed or worked in the factories of the metropolitan area of the capital.

During the first years of operation, the project was confronted with a number of hardships. In January 1998, 75 women from the suburb of Martissant organized themselves into a cooperative to develop the sewing shop.

This production opportunity has enabled many seamstresses to work and merchants to sell the products.

The shop is equipped with seven sewing machines and has hired six persons full time.

Yvrose Pierre Louis, 42, who lives in Martissant, is a member of this cooperative. A seamstress by profession, she is among the ladies chosen to carry out the work at the cooperative. Yvrose told about her situation and that of women of her neighbourhood.

"I was born here on September 13, 1957. I grew up here and my parents used to live here also. Everybody knows me and I get along fine with everybody," she said.

Yvrose has 2 children. She confessed having conceived them at an advanced age. Her husband lives abroad. He used to have a job, but he became unemployed and left in a "racket" (illegal voyage). Yvrose keeps on working to educate her children.

"I used to go to the Dominican Republic to buy goods and resell them here. I had a shop close to my home. But it was sacked during the coup (1991-1994). They took everything and I ended up bankrupt. I continue to carry out commercial activities, but on a much smaller scale. Not like before," she said.

Yvrose affirmed that she could earn her living from her commercial activities. Today, she works in a clinic which was established by an organization defending women's rights, the Solidarity of Haitian Women (SOFA).

She underlined the support given by this organization in the establishment of this cooperative. Women cannot live without work. Work provides independence to women, according to Yvrose.

However, she noted that in her neighbourhood, the majority of women are unemployed. Young women of the area who should go to school or learn a profession, cannot do this because of financial hardship.

Women have to organize themselves to change their living conditions, she said. Yvrose coordinates the women movement in the area of La Sagesse.

"Popular Women of Martissant" is affiliated to the feminist organization SOFA, which brings together woman peasants, professionals and those of the slums.

[470 words]

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