ALWAYS FREE SHIPPING
OUR HISTORY: A WORK IN PROGRESS SO CHECK BACK OFTEN
2010
The Women of Milot Entrepreneurial Network (W.O.M.E.N.) was founded by Deborah Couri in 2010 after visiting Hôpital Sacré Coeur in Milot, Haiti just after the devastating January 12th earthquake.
Women in Milot were struggling to sell their handmade crafts to volunteers who came to Milot. Most were still making the same items that their mothers and grandmothers made before them. Deborah realized they could sell more, and earn more, with a few simple design updates.
W.O.M.E.N.'s progress over the years
2011
2011
2011
W.O.M.E.N. began hosting training classes for women interested in learning how to make new products
2012
2011
2011
Soon women began making colorful pot holders and oven mitts. Their income grew as volunteers coming to Haiti purchased them as fast as they ladies could sew them.
2013
2011
2013
In 2013 W.O.M.E.N. expanded it's product line to include coordinating aprons, and also expanded sales to hotels and boutiques in Port-au-Prince.
2014
2014
2013
W.O.M.E.N. added more training seminars to teach new products, included these beautiful kitchen towels using block printing and hand embroidery. They sold out.
2015
2014
2015
W.O.M.E.N. partnered with the Haven Partnership (Ireland) to build a new sewing cooperative in Gonaives, Haiti.
2016
2014
2015
Gonaives is a remote community in the northwest of Haiti. Jobs are very scarce. Training classes were held frequently to bring in as many women as possible.
2017
2017
2017
W.O.M.E.N. opened a new boutique on the Boulevard du Carenage in Cap Haitien. We were so hopeful for the future. How sad for everyone that Haiti's political turmoil and COVID derailed so much for so many. But we look to the future.
2018
2017
2017
W.O.M.E.N. took over Haiti Babi when founders pulled out of Haiti. Haiti Babi provides jobs for moms in Haiti. Check out their beautifully crafted baby blankets, lovies and hats at haitibabi.org.
2019
2017
2019
W.O.M.E.N. continued working in Haiti despite the growing political challenges. We moved our atelier to a quieter location to continue training seminars and worked to add new products to our line.
2020
2020
2019
The COVID pandemic closed the border to Haiti from January until October. Our project slowed but many of the women were able to keep working, thanks to our atelier manager (Mondy Delnatus) to support their families.
2021
2020
2021
W.O.M.E.N. continued to operate despite the ever increasing political turmoil. The President of Haiti was assassinated, and manifestations (riots) were dangerous and commonplace. It took a very brave women to make the trip to the atelier to get the work that would support her family.
2022
2020
2021
Our shop in the Artisan Marketplace located inside Royal Caribbean's Labadee Resort re-opened in January, 2022 and we were able to begin selling our hand-crafted goods to the visitors arriving on Royal Caribbean's ships to Haiti. It was the break we needed after working hard to keep the project going through the COVID shutdown.
2023
2023
2023
W.O.M.E.N. continued adding new designs and patterns to its collection inspired by our best artisans including new pot holder and oven mitt designs as well as new jewelry pouches, zip pouches, make-up bags and wallets.
2024
2023
2023
As 2024 comes to a close, our project is growing once again after the COVID pandemic and political instability nearly shut us down. And we might have except for the strong and hardworking women of our project that drive its success and inspire each of us to keep moving forward.