Miramène missed the first day of the workshop in Koray Grann. She stayed home with her sick child. The baby was feverish and uncomfortable. Miramène knew she had to come on the second day, though, so she left her mother in charge and hiked down from Gwo Labou to Koray Grann.

She feels good about how the program is working for her so far. Her goats are healthy. She works hard to keep them that way, making sure they’re tied up where they can get food but don’t have to stand in the direct sun. Her father helps her, but she is mainly on her own since her husband is in the Dominican Republic.

She still lives in her parents’ lakou, the yard with their house and also houses for her sister and brother. Her sister-in-law is also a CLM member, but her mother and sister are somewhat wealthier, so they didn’t qualify.

She and her sister-in-law decided to make one shared latrine for the whole lakou, and it has already been installed none of the households has had one until now. It will be ready to use in a couple of days. Right now it has no walls. But Miramène’s father has promised to add the walls in the next days, and the entire family will benefit.

Her new focus is on the new home she plans to build. CLM requires members and their families to contribute a lot towards the home, and Miramène is clear about her own contribution. Her father has been collecting the posts she will need for the house’s structure, and she’s already begun buying the palm trees she’ll need to build its walls. She told her husband about her place in the program, and he has been sending money to buy the lumber. He’ll come visit in December. “He’s really happy about the program, and agrees with everything I tell him we need.”