A Portrait by Art Howard
I met Madam Enez when she was the cook at the Diklo School construction site where I was working years ago. To have her cooking for us was a huge honor. She is a senior CODEP Animator (leader) with 25 years of history to share. She is a pillar of the community, a mother to eight, and grandmother to many. She is extraordinary.
I can say without hesitation that I fell in love with her immediately, and we have been best friends ever since.
Madam Enez is the treasurer for MAK CODEP which is the arm of CODEP that focuses on building agro-businesses that are possible because of the impact of reforestation. This includes grinding corn, cutting lumber, roasting beans, and wood working. She personally started the peanut butter effort. She bought the peanuts and recruited a group of women to roast and shuck them. She sent me to town to get them ground. The team makes four kinds of peanut butter for market: natural, sugar, ginger, and hot pepper (the most popular).
One of my favorite stories of Madam Enez might sound personal but we both retell it, and she laughs over it along with me. I was getting ready for a trip back to the States and asked her if there was anything I could get for her and bring back.
She said she wanted an outfit — skirt, flip-flops, a blouse, and a brassiere.
“Madam Enez,” I said. “I can’t buy you brassiere. I don’t know your size.”
Without a blink she took my hands, put them on her breasts, and said, “That size.”
Yes, Madam Enez is the senior woman Animator, and she epitomizes the heart, humor, and hard work of CODEP. She does not speak much in meetings unless asked but don’t get her started on her thoughts about either children or trees. She holds both dear for being the promise and possibility of Haiti.
Executive Director