Since February, Irrawaddy Earth vzw has taken over the management of the online archive of the Flemish Haiti Consultative Group. This provides a rich history of solidarity, cooperation and exchange with Haiti with a new home where it can be preserved and remain accessible to the general public.
What was the Flemish Haiti Consultative Group?
For many years, the Flemish Haiti Consultative Group was a network of organisations and committed citizens in Flanders involved in solidarity work with Haiti. The group brought people together to exchange information, foster cooperation between organisations and promote a better understanding of the social, political and ecological reality in Haiti.
An important tool in this work was the magazine Lambi. This magazine featured reports, background articles, testimonies and analyses on Haiti. It provided a platform for voices from Haiti itself, as well as for volunteers, researchers and staff from organisations active in the country.
In addition to the magazine, an online newsletter was also published, regularly sharing news, announcements and reflections with a broad network of interested parties and partners.
A rich archive that must be preserved
After many years of commitment, it was decided to cease the production and distribution of the newsletter. At the same time, there was a growing realisation that the content accumulated over the years – articles, newsletters and documentation – constitutes an important resource for anyone interested in the history of solidarity with Haiti in Flanders.
To give this rich history a permanent home and to ensure the accessibility of the archive, it was decided to transfer the website of the Flemish Haiti Consultation from Broederlijk Delen to Irrawaddy Earth vzw.
This transfer is also a form of recognition for the many volunteers who have contributed to the Flemish Haiti Consultative Committee over the years: as members of the editorial team, as authors of articles, or as staff working behind the scenes who made the network and the publications possible.
A connection with Haiti
Irrawaddy Earth’s involvement in this initiative is no coincidence. Tom D’Haeyer, founder of Irrawaddy Earth, spent three years in Haiti at the start of his career as a junior aid worker for Protos, the organisation now known as Join For Water.
During that period, he worked on water management and local development in rural communities. That experience provided lasting inspiration for his later commitment to sustainable water management, climate resilience and international cooperation.
Preserving the archives of the Flemish Haiti Consultative Committee therefore aligns well with Irrawaddy Earth’s mission: to strengthen knowledge, cooperation and solidarity around water, climate and equitable development.
A memory for the future
By preserving the archives of the Flemish-Haiti Consultative Committee and keeping them accessible, Irrawaddy Earth aims to help keep alive an important chapter of social engagement.
The articles from Lambi and the newsletters together form a valuable record of decades of cooperation between Flanders and Haiti – a source of inspiration for new generations who continue to work towards international solidarity and justice.
A new repository for testimonies
The archive aims not only to preserve the past, but also to serve as a living repository for memories and testimonies about the strong bond that existed for decades between Flanders and Haiti. Over the years, many organisations, volunteers, missionaries, researchers and development workers have contributed to this special relationship.
Anyone wishing to share documents, photographs, articles, personal stories or other materials relating to this shared past can still find a place in this online repository. In this way, the archive can continue to grow and provide as complete a picture as possible of the many forms of solidarity and cooperation between Flanders and Haiti.
Anyone wishing to contribute material or seeking further information may contact Tom D’Haeyer.
Support to keep the archive online
Keeping the archive available online and maintaining it will continue to require a limited but ongoing commitment of time and resources in the future. That is why Irrawaddy Earth vzw invites everyone who believes it is important that this history is preserved to support this initiative.
Anyone wishing to contribute to keeping the Vlaams Haïti Overleg archive online and making it more accessible can do so by transferring a small donation to account number BE52 5230 8099 8109, in the name of Irrawaddy Earth vzw.
With your support, you will help ensure that the rich history of solidarity between Flanders and Haiti remains accessible to future generations.