Page 2 - The Daily Builder - Day 05

an incredibly difficult situation. 75 families received animals and farmers, giving them the tools
In 2016, Heifer Haiti teamed seeds during a second ceremony and resources to better their
up with International Flavors in 2017. own lives. And with Passing on
& Fragrances (IFF) to launch “I am more than happy and the Gift, one of Heifer’s core
a program designed not only thank Heifer and IFF very much tenets, this program will have a
to produce a higher quality of for such amazing gifts,” said massive ripple effect - for every
vetiver oil, but also to improve the Cidieula François, whose family family who received an animal
lives of the farming families. The received livestock, seeds, and from Heifer, they will pass on the
program, called Vetiver Together, training sessions. “I promise to first female offspring (along with
is designed to address three main take care of the animals to the training and seeds) to another
areas of need: food security, best of my ability. This is the family in need.
women’s empowerment, and very first time vetiver farmers Thanks to Heifer International
reforestation. This is achieved by are being thought of (by outside for letting us share this story. More
providing families with alternate groups) - and not only for what information about this program and
sources of income, reducing we can offer.” the usage of vetiver can be found on
their dependence on money from Programs like Vetiver Together Heifer’s Blog, World Ark Magazine,
vetiver, so that they can have help to increase the power of and the IFF website.
successful and fulfilling lives
outside of the once-a-year vetiver
harvest.
In the first wave of assistance,
Bernard Thelemaque holds a handful of vetiver roots, pulled carefully from the ground to keep them intact in
order to preserve their complex, highly sought-after smell. 75 farming families were given
goats, chickens, turkeys, and
seeds. These all help supplement
The SweeT Smell of VeTiVer income, as well as increasing
food security during the long
stretch of time waiting for the
By Worldbuilders be replanted, and its roots will have come to rely entirely on vetiver roots to mature. Farmers
Photos by Lacey West slowly regrow over 12-18 months. the income they make from also received the education and
Over half of all commercial harvesting vetiver roots. training Heifer is known for,
In Haiti, deforestation has vetiver comes from southwestern Though vetiver is so reliable learning about crop and livestock
degraded soil so much that any Haiti, produced by 30,000 small- and profitable, the time it takes production, soil conservation, and Using a pickaxe, Bernard Thelemaque carefully cuts around clumps of
sort of agriculture has become scale farming families. Bernard for the roots to regrow and be improved nutrition. An additional vetiver grass in order to pull them from the field.
difficult. However, there’s a grass Thelemaque is one such farmer, ready for harvest again leaves
called vetiver that grows well in who has found amazing success farmers in a difficult economic
stressful conditions - and actually through farming Vetiver. “I situation. Since the plant needs Why VetiVer? chameleon among scents. Because its fragrance is
needs just the sort of environment make more money with vetiver 12-18 months for the roots to so complex, it can be used for a variety of different
Haiti provides in order to produce than other crops,” he said. One regrow, this means farming Vetiver, which smells both earthy and sweet, is notes in a wide range of men’s and women’s scents.
its valuable oils. vetiver harvest earns him 15,000 families must either harvest early especially popular in scents made for men. It’s a It’s a popular ingredient in citrus scents, since it adds
key ingredient in scented products that range from
Vetiver is highly sought-after gourdes ($237), while a year and end up with a much lower deodorants found in most drug stores to the most warmth and richness to balance out a citrus smell’s
harsher notes.
in the fragrance industry for of corn harvests only gets him quality product, or must stockpile expensive perfume in the world, Clive Christian No. 1, It also has a long lifespan with excellent fixative
its unique and complex scent. 2,500 gourdes ($40). “Sometimes food and money to last them up to which sells for more than $2,100 an ounce. properties, and can be used as a base for a long-lasting
The roots are dried and turned with the corn, I might not have a year and a half before they can Vetiver oil provides a deep, complex scent—earthy, fragrance without overly coloring the main smells a
into an oil that will be used in anything, if there’s no rain.” harvest again. This isn’t possible smoky, sweet, warm, leathery, dry—that is a sort of perfumer wishes to attain.
countless products. The grass can Many farmers like Thelemaque for most families, leaving them in

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