Overview:
Gwoup Konbit gathered over 250 folks at its June 25 workshop in Pétion-Ville, selling konbit—a Haitian custom of collective labor—as a path to rebuild the nation amid rampant insecurity, political paralysis and financial hardship.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Amid overlapping crises in governance, insecurity and the economic system, a Haitian civic group is popping to ancestral knowledge to chart a brand new means ahead. On June 25, the Gwoup Konbit convened its fifth annual workshop to advertise “konbit” values—a standard Haitian follow of collective labor—as a viable mannequin for nationwide reconstruction.
Held underneath the theme, “Let’s Apply the Values and Rules of Konbit,” the occasion marked the 14th anniversary of the broader Konbit motion. Based in 2021 as an extension of the Konbit Solèy Leve initiative launched in 2011, the Gwoup Konbit unites grassroots leaders, organizations, and activists to construct a society grounded in shared duty and solidarity and dedicated to social change. Organizers mentioned the group’s work responds to the collapse of state establishments and rising insecurity.
“We imagine Haiti has many well-educated younger folks and lots of elders with huge expertise who’re able to lifting the nation out of the abyss,” Co-founder Louino Robillard mentioned. “We’re going to change Haiti; we’ll witness change in Haiti.”
The urgency of that imaginative and prescient is underscored by the nation’s dire realities. Since June 2021, violence and gang management have intensified throughout Haiti. Greater than 80% of Port-au-Prince is estimated to be underneath legal gang affect, and over a million folks are actually internally displaced. With the political system paralyzed utterly because the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, Gwoup Konbit sees its work as an emergency response.
“What we want on this nation is a konbit to deliver Haitians collectively so we will rebuild the nation.”
Louino Robillard, co-founder of Gwoup Konbit.
Organizers say konbit, historically an agricultural labor follow, can now function a cultural mannequin to rebuild Haiti’s fractured social cloth. Traditionally, konbit referred to neighbors uniting to work each other’s land in rotation. At this time, it symbolizes collective resilience.
“What we want on this nation is a konbit to deliver Haitians collectively so we will rebuild the nation,” Robillard mentioned. “We have now a rustic that began off badly, going by means of disaster after disaster. Haiti has by no means had the chance for its residents to take a seat down collectively and work towards its stability.”
A renewed name for stronger civic management to advance Haiti’s growth
Roughly 250 members attended the occasion, which featured audio system together with psychologist Mélodie Benjamin, Root of Growth President Chad Bissonnette, and Banj founder Marc Alain Boucicault—delivered displays on how one can apply konbit values to numerous sectors.
The audio system emphasised psychological well being, strengthening local people organizations, and expertise as key instruments in fortifying Haiti’s civic life. All three criticized the top-down nature of many worldwide assist efforts, urging as a substitute that communities must be strengthened and allowed to outline their growth paths.
Benjamin, a psychologist and sister of late Haitian singer Michael Benjamin, emphasised the necessity to put money into folks and urged communities to proceed cultivating the spirit of konbit fairly than ready on the state. She confused that rebuilding Haiti requires each emotional therapeutic and private duty. Acknowledging that latest generations carry the trauma of harms suffered by their predecessors, Benjamin argued that at the moment’s Haitians should, regardless of all the things, take duty for his or her lives and establish themselves as brokers of change.
“The one approach to construct Haiti in peace is by investing in Haitians as human beings,” says Benjamin, additionally the pinnacle of the group Ajan pou Lapè Haitian Creole for Brokers for Peace.
“After we discuss konbit, we imply the approaching collectively of many forces. So we should suppose by way of holistic peace, the place all circumstances are aligned—as a result of a toddler can’t develop intellectually in the event that they’re hungry or in the event that they’re being mistreated by their mother and father.”
Difficult the position of overseas assist, Bissonnette addressed the sophisticated legacy of overseas help in Haiti, calling for a shift towards domestically pushed options.
“Sadly, many worldwide commitments weren’t good for Haiti and proceed to create main issues,” he mentioned. “They didn’t permit Haitians to handle their very own actuality, future, and assets.”
Bissonnette mentioned his group, Root of Growth, works to reverse that pattern by creating equitable partnerships with Haitian communities. Roots of Growth is a U.S.-based group devoted to selling community-led growth that works in shut partnership with native organizations, providing personnel assist, strategic steerage, and help in mobilizing assets wanted to implement their very own growth initiatives.
“We have now constructed a extra balanced relationship with our companions—one that provides them the house to discuss their scenario,” he added.
The promise of tech-powered solidarity
Banj founder Boucicault emphasised the position of expertise in spreading the konbit spirit. In his remarks, Boucicault defined how digital platforms can mobilize communities and speed up collaboration. A clever use of those instruments will help propel the konbit motion even additional, enabling communities to develop and join extra quickly.
“The phrase konbit, which conjures up us at the moment, have to be understood in a extra fashionable context,” he mentioned. “There’s actual energy in expertise to go additional, quicker, and stronger in what we do.”
He famous that initiatives that when took years to coordinate can now be organized inside days. In keeping with Boucicault, this evolution permits a brand new era of Haitian changemakers to arrange and lead.
Benjamin echoed this sentiment, stating that tech-based group organizing is crucial within the face of institutional neglect.
“We should strengthen ourselves inside our communities to behave on what we will management, with out dwelling on what the state has did not do,” she mentioned. “After we develop sturdy communities, that’s how we entice a state that respects us in our personal nation.”
As Haiti continues to navigate deep political and social crises, Gwoup Konbit hopes to develop its attain and encourage comparable actions rooted in mutual assist. Its members say the nation’s therapeutic should start with a return to values already embedded in Haitian life—solidarity, reciprocity, and shared duty.
“Change will come to the nation—not by means of others, however by means of us. We’re those who will make it occur, ”Robillard mentioned.
“We have now all the things we have to rebuild the nation, however what we lack is konbit—the deep solidarity we witnessed after the earthquake and throughout the building of the canal.”