Download the companion study guide for the film Poto Mitan: Women Pillars of the Global Economy.

For more information and analysis of earthquake relief efforts people can visit co-director Mark Schuller's blog on Huffington Post. For a more updated site listing other news stories, visit partner Center for Economic and Policy Research “Reconstruction Watch” blog.

Groups in Film

The following is a list of groups that you have seen in the film, offering their expertise. They are doing a range of work in Haiti that deserve your support. Visit their websites to find out more about them.

Campaign Against Violence

The Campaign Against Violence is a multi-sectoral coalition regrouping 15 organizations both in Haiti’s government and NGOs, in development, health, and communication. Founded in 2005 in response to alarming rates of kidnapping, this group sponsors direct action and policy analysis aimed at the multiple roots of violence, including media and the economy.

Chandèl

Chandèl (Kreyòl for “candle”) is a popular organization that organizes adult women and men to reflect upon their problems as people and Haiti’s impoverished majority in general. It's a space to question the way society functions and for the poor majority to struggle to build a new kind of society. Chandël particularly works to combat the dominant form of disempowering education and promote a “popular education” in poor neighborhoods, to give the poor majority a means for consciousness raising about the bad situation they’re living and a means to work together to change these conditions.

Fonkoze

Fonkoze is Haiti's Alternative Bank for the Organized Poor. We are the largest micro-finance institution offering a full range of financial services to the rural-based poor in Haiti. Fonkoze is committed to the economic and social improvement of the people and communities of Haiti and to the reduction of poverty in the country.

l’Hopital St. Catharine

The Hospital is the only one in Citè Soleil, operating continuously despite recent waves of violence. Founded as a Catholic hospital, it operates as a branch of Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health.

KOFAVIV

The political and social instability that followed President Aristide’s removal sparked a new wave of political violence, lawlessness, and related gender-based crimes. Few services exist for survivors of rape in Port-au-Prince. As an organization established by survivors, for survivors, KOFAVIV combines support for individual survivors of rape with grassroots women’s organizing and advocacy, to transform the social and political conditions that give rise to sexual violence against poor women.

Lambi Fund

Founded jointly in 1994 by Haitians and Americans, the Lambi Fund of Haiti is a unique grassroots organization whose mission is to assist the popular, democratic movement in Haiti. Its goal is to help strengthen civil society in Haiti as a necessary foundation for democracy and development.

Minister of Women’s Condition and Rights

Created in November 1994, following demands of women and the engagement of the Haitian state regarding international conventions relating to women’s rights and living in a state that guarantees gender inequality, the Minister of Women’s Condition and Rights (le Ministère a la Condition Fèminine et aux Droits des Femmes, MCFDF)’s mission is to formulate and apply public policies that need action to change women’s condition in Haiti.

PAPDA

The Haitian Platform to Advocate for an Alternative Development is a network of social movements and organizations in Haitian civil society who works on the public policies for information, training, critical analysis and elaborating alternative propositions. Our network especially focuses on reinforcing the capacities of social movements in our country, especially by proposing well-documented, viable, and coherent solutions that work in the interests of Haiti’s poor majority.

State University of Haiti

The State University of Haiti (L’Universitè d’etat d’Haïti) is the largest institution of higher education and research in the country. Across the country it includes more than 20,000 students, 1,500 faculty and 800 administrative staff. The University’s structure reflects the diversity of its origins. The founding text of the University of Haiti, UEH’s ancestor, assembles independent institutions of higher education, those created to train staff of certain ministries, and others of private origin, integrated into the system of higher education.

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Partners and Endorsers

Following are a list of groups who have supported the film. Our partners are planning on working together with us to promote discussion and to inspire grassroots change.

Partners:

Endorsers:

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Groups Making a Difference

This page is an archive of groups that have been working on issues in the film. For further updates on Haiti, please visit filmmaker Mark Schuller's site..

After seeing the film you may want to get involved in one of many groups doing great work to make a difference on women’s issues, Haiti, labor issues, or global justice. Here is a list of a couple, to get you on your way.

Justice For Women Worldwide

Justice for Women In the Haitian Diaspora

Justice for Women In Haiti

Justice for Workers Worldwide

Justice for Workers In Haiti

Haiti Solidarity

Global Justice

Economic Justice and Economic Development

You can also download this additional database. It was current as of February, 2005. If you are a group working in Haiti and do not see your name on this list, you should contact the government Minister of Planning and Foreign Cooperation at ucaong@yahoo.fr.

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Educational Resources

The following is a list of printed resources - mostly books but some articles - that give further context and analysis about issues raised in the film.

Haiti

Women’s Issues

Labor Issues

Global Justice:

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