The Pot Holder Project takes part in the Parc Industriel de Caracol's Grand Opening in Northern Haiti.

On Monday, October 22, 2012 The Women of Milot Entrepreneurial Network was invited to take part in the opening of Parc Industriel de Caracol in northern Haiti.

It was an exciting day for sure with President Michel Martelly and Bill and Hillary Clinton as honored guests.  Celebrity attendance was equally impressive with Donna Karen, Sean Penn, Ben Stiller, Richard Branson and more.

The industrial park means to bring manufacturing back to Haiti and it seems to be off to a solid start.  VIPs toured the park before finishing with encouraging dedication speeches held in an Exhibition Hall built inside one of the new but still empty warehouses.  The warehouse had been transformed for the day into a replica of Old Cap Haitien.  It was quite beautiful actually.   There was coffee, beer and rum (though not necessarily in that order), all delicious and all made in Haiti.  Lunch was catered by LeKay Restaurant from Cap Haitien - always a treat.

Smaller local artisanal organizations were also included and that's where we came in.  The Pot Holder Project showed its goods to VIPs, celebrities and guests alike.  We displayed our newest pot holder creations and showcased how some of our work is done.  Denise, Claudine, Zoulma and Gladys were with me and it was great to see them recognized for their efforts.

For our small group in attendance it was a lift and the encouragement we needed.  Monday's event was a marker of our progress and it felt good at the end of the day.

Oh the learning curves . . . .

Saturday night at about 7:00 p.m.   I'm still at my desk working.  I haven't written for some time because I didn't know how to get in to my blog.  Too many sign-ins and passwords to remember I suppose but the other day it worked - I was in!

This endeavor has been the most difficult undertaking of my life . . .  more difficult than my teenage daughter and that's saying something.  I don't know what I thought it would take to get a business off the ground but if I'd had a clue I would have run for the hills.  That said, at this point I'm too heavily invested, or too stubborn, to walk away . . . though sometimes I wish I could.  But while launching a business that operates in two countries has been filled with hardships and mean learning curves, the women in Haiti I have come to know as my friends and peers are too important to me.  Seeing them succeed and prosper overwhelms me at times.  I have to stay the course.

• Sitting at the Hotel Roi Christophe, my internet source in Cap Haitien, on this Sunday evening.  Spent most of today sitting in the garden crunching numbers for pot holder costs and production.  
• On Thursday and Friday, women from the Milot Co-op came to Cap Haitien to work with our newest co-op - a group of students from a UN sponsored program.  It was great to see the support and cooperation between both groups.   
• I hope to receive another shipment of fabric and batting tomorrow via IBC Airlines that I can drop off before leaving for home on Tuesday.   
• This work is exciting - but the most meaningful time is when I meet with co-op members each trip.  That's when I'm reminded that this isn't just a fun adventure for me, it's a life changing opportunity for these women - and their children.  I went from coming to Haiti for a look to operating a real business in what feels like the blink of an eye.  So quickly that I'm not sure I fully understood the weight of my commitment to a group of women that are so deserving.

Launching The Pot Holder Project

The Pot Holder Project has been in the works for 18 months.  Through trial and error, and the deep commitment of our co-op members, we're ready to launch a line of beautifully crafted pot holders and oven mitts to the American marketplace.  We're excited to introduce our line to public and private schools as a fundraising service project that will benefit both the schools, and our co-op members.  Stay with us as we move forward in this exciting and uplifting journey.