Haiti is a country of mountains. An estimated 70% of its land sits on steep slopes, and without trees to hold that land in place, every heavy rain carries a little more soil down to the sea. Decades of deforestation have left the country with one of the lowest forest cover rates in the region, and the consequences reach far beyond the hillsides. Bare slopes mean faster runoff, worse erosion, and heavier flooding downstream, putting entire communities and farmlands at risk with every storm. The farmers working these hillsides feel it first: thinner topsoil, drier land, and harvests that shrink a little more each year.

This project exists to address that reality, and to turn it into an opportunity, for two purposes at once.

First, reforestation. Every tree planted on a slope helps anchor the soil, slow erosion, and reduce the runoff that fuels flooding downstream, restoring the land’s ability to hold water and support life for this generation of farmers and the next.

Second, income. These aren’t just any trees. They’re species farmers can actually live on, chosen specifically because they do both jobs at once: hold the soil and pay for themselves. Coffee grows well under shade on higher slopes and stabilizes the ground with a dense root system, while producing a crop farmers can sell year after year. Mango and avocado trees develop deep, wide-reaching roots that anchor hillsides, and both produce fruit that can be eaten, sold, or turned into a steady seasonal income. Citrus trees like lime and orange root well on lower slopes and offer a reliable cash crop with a relatively fast turnaround. Cherry adds further ground cover and diversity, along with fruit farmers can sell locally. Even moringa, fast-growing and resilient in dry conditions, helps stabilize soil quickly while giving families an edible, nutrient-rich leaf they can use or sell. Every tree on this list is picked for the same reason: it fights erosion and flooding today, and puts money in a farmer’s pocket for years to come, through harvest, sale, or shade for other crops planted alongside it.

That’s the idea behind this project: trees that protect the land and support the people who work it, together.

We are launching this project to plant hope, one tree at a time. Each year, we plan to distribute 5,000 seedlings to 500 smallholder farmers across Haiti, 10 trees per person, matched to each farmer’s land, altitude, and needs. Every participant receives hands-on training in planting and care, and our team follows up in the field throughout the year to help the trees survive and thrive, aiming for at least 60% still growing strong after twelve months.

And this is only the beginning. As each group of farmers succeeds, we open the door to a new group the following year, so that season after season, more slopes turn green, fewer communities face flooding, more families gain a steady source of income, and more roots take hold for the generations to come.

Local organizations, volunteers, field agents, partners, donors, and farmers are all welcome to be part of this. We look forward to a greener Haiti. Every tree we plant together is a small act of faith in its future.