Working Her Way Into Her Own Home

by Brian Stevens

Forced from her home in Jacmel when it collapsed around her during the devastating 2010 earthquake, Charlotte Charles, like many hundreds of thousands, lost nearly everything and sought refuge in a public camp. Charlotte was able to use her artistic talent and passion, though, to find a way out of the camp and into a place of her own. “The dignity of work is what people in Haiti want,” said Jeff Rogers, who directs Beyond Borders’ Epple Seed Arts initiative, “not a handout.”

Charlotte Charles moved from a tent city to a rented home after the earthquake thanks to Beyond Borders' Epple Seed Arts initiative.

Charlotte produced and sold artwork that earned her the money she needed to rent a home of her own. At various times Charlotte has hired as many as a dozen fellow artists to aid her in filling orders from Epple Seed Arts.

Epple Seed Arts is one way Beyond Borders’ is helping build the movement for sustainable livelihoods.

Epple Seed works with Haitian artisans in the towns of Jacmel and Croix des Bouquets, purchasing their artwork at a fair price and then selling it in the U.S. Proceeds are used to cover expenses and invest back in to the community of artisans in Haiti. Epple Seed helped establish a revolving $4,000 loan fund that is now administered by the artists themselves, who do an analysis before making any loan.

As an artist with a contract for work from Epple Seed, Charlotte hired fellow artists who were camp residents to help produce artwork. She looked for those with the greatest skill – and the greatest need. She identified one man – an alcoholic with artistic ability who struggled to provide for his family – whom she wanted to help. Doing good is what Charlotte does. Shortly after taking up residence in the camp, she quickly emerged as a leader, even though it came at the expense of her personal safety.

Charlotte denounced the underground illicit market that emerged in the camp in which male authorities traded food cards for sex with women. The result was a beating that broke two of her ribs. Despite the intimidation, Charlotte continued to speak out.

Jeff Rogers recalls one conversation as he sat with Charlotte while she was tearing strips of paper for use in her paper maché artwork from discarded paper bags that had held imported U.S. concrete. “You send us all this trash,” Charlotte said, “and we turn it into beautiful art.”