Maison L’Arc-en-Ciel- Pigsty Possibilities

The latest improvement at Maison L’Arc-en-Ciel is the first of new income generating activities that will be implemented over the next two years. Thanks to Peter Arpin of Renewable Now and Arpin Strong, the Honey for Haiti Project is happy to announce that the funds have been sent to construct the first pig sty at Maison L’Arc-en-Ciel. The Haiti ministry at St. George Roman Catholic Church in Guilford, Connecticut has also generously provided funding for the income generating activities at MAEC. This venture will provide a wonderful new educational experience for the children and staff, and will soon create a revenue stream to expand itself and raise funds to expand the space for slaughter of the larger livestock.

The pig sty will be 51 square meters in size, enough to produce 14 pigs each year, with two sows for each boar. The pigs will be bred and due to the prolific births of these animals, L’Arc-en-Ciel will be able to sell pigs to other farmers in the region.This venture is especially advantageous due to the high demand for pork in Haiti, and the ease in which pigs can be raised in comparison to other livestock, such as goats which require ample space to graze. Having pork on the list of products for sale from the Maison L’Arc-en-Ciel sustainable farm will draw additional customers that have not yet been reached, as well as open up potential avenues for donations of food scraps that can be fed to the pigs. Connections with local bakeries are being formed in order to organize the donation of these scraps, which will significantly reduce the annual cost of raising pigs. The labor necessary to keep the pig sty fully functioning will be covered by the older children who have in interest in livestock and by young adults who will be packaging the meat for sale. This will provide a daily hands on experience in the raising of pigs and will add an entire skill set to the abilities of the older teens who will soon be looking for jobs upon their reintegration.