Georges Wilbert Franck, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST), accompanied by Ms. Angeline C. Jean-Louis, Director of the National Handicrafts Office (ONART), participated in the 19th edition of the Handicrafts Festival.

This visit provided the Minister with the opportunity to present the "Support for Strengthening the Production Capacity of Haitian Artisans (ARECPAH)" project, which aims to revitalize this sector while promoting the work of artisans.

To this end, Minister Franck announced a series of measures, including the opening of three handicraft shops in the cities of Les Cayes (South), Jacmel (Southeast), and Cap-Haïtien (North).

Furthermore, a line of credit will be available through ONART (National Office for the Promotion of Arts and Crafts) to help artisans increase their production, stated Franck, who indicated that his Ministry, through ONART, is considering subsidizing artisans by January 2026.

He also announced the creation of an inter-ministerial commission, including his Ministry and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Industry, and Tourism, with the aim of revitalizing Haitian crafts by addressing the needs for standardization of designs; market access for products; increased production capacity; and adequate packaging and shipping capacity for handcrafted goods.

Ms. Angeline C. Jean-Louis, Director, commended the Minister's efforts, which resulted in the project to support the strengthening of the production capacity of Haitian artisans. According to her, this project will allow ONART to become an active partner for artisans.

ONART agents took advantage of the first day of the Artisans en Fête (Crafts Festival) to register artisans. "Once registered, these artisans are eligible to benefit from all the advantages of the ARECPAH project," stated Ms. Jean-Louis.

She encouraged the artisans to place their work in ONART stores for better marketing and emphasized that a website is currently being developed to facilitate online sales of their work worldwide.

HL/ HaitiLibre