Heart of Haiti: Hope and Beauty

Please meet Myrta Balan

Myrta is the first woman metal artisan in Croix des Bouquets (a village of metal artisans near Port-au-Prince, Haiti). Her inspiration comes from the Tree of Life which symbolizes the goodness and bounty of the universe.

She is a proud artisan of Heart of Haiti. As you may or may not already know, Heart of Haiti is a “Trade, Not Aid” initiative launched by artist and social entrepreneur, Willa Shalit, The Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund, and Macy’s. Already, Heart of Haiti has led to the employment of 750 artists in Haiti, providing financial benefits for an estimated 8,500 people in the country.

We all remember the devastating earthquake that destroyed both families and material things in Haiti in 2010. Despite the earthquake and living in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haitians are filled with hope and desire to improve their lives. Heart of Haiti brings opportunities to artisans to make a living, feed their families, and pay for their children’s school, since schools in Haiti are not free.

Here is a video about Heart of Haiti

Supporting the artisans by buying their beautiful pieces is a way to support this initiative. The collection features more than 40 items including jewelry, paintings, metalwork, ceramics and quilts, all made by hand, using recycled, sustainable, or raw materials such as cardboard, oil drums, wrought iron, and stone, among others. Heart of Haiti products are available online at Macy’s, and most items cost between $25 and $60 dollars.

For more information on Heart of Haiti, follow @HeartofHaiti on Twitter or like the Heart of Haiti Facebook page at http://facebook.com/HeartofHaiti.

Disclosure: This is not a paid post, it is part of a pro-bono campaign with Latina Bloggers Connect. I did receive, however, the beautiful bracelet shown in the photo as a gift for Mother’s Day. As always my comments and opinions are solely my own.