In rural Haiti, it’s not easy to be a business owner, especially if you don’t even know how to read. Enjoying the income and self-reliance of the entrepreneurial life can be out of reach for the 39% of Haitians who aren’t literate. World Renew Haiti is making that connection for the young people and adults who participate in their literacy classes. Now students in the poor and remote parts of the country who complete literacy training have the opportunity to learn barbering, a skill that will allow them to run their own businesses and generate income for their families.

World Renew Haiti is making that connection for the young people and adults who participate in their literacy classes. Now students in the poor and remote parts of the country who complete literacy training have the opportunity to learn barbering, a skill that will allow them to run their own businesses and generate income for their families.

Last fall World Renew recruited Haitian American Darryl Goss-Geffrard, a US-trained professional barber, to offer advanced training to ten local barbers. The catch was that those 10 barbers would in turn train literacy students in barbering and barber shop management.

Mr. Goss-Geffrard organized a 4-day workshop in advanced methods and trends, such as scissor-over-comb, fading techniques, and amazing shapes. Each participant received a full barbering kit including quality clippers, combs, brushes, razors, capes, disinfectants, cremes, and sprays. Using the same resources US barbering students would use to pass state licensing exams, Mr. Goss-Geffrard taught technique and best business practices.

When the workshop was over, the ten participants had gained skills to advance their own business efforts and were also ready to teach barbering to literacy class students. Each barber will take their skills to the rural communities of Haiti where students in World Renew-supported literacy classes will add to their ability to read new skills that will allow them to run their own individual businesses and enjoy the fruits of their own labor. 

Blessings,

Troy Sanon

Country Consultant
World Renew Haiti