Madan Sara, or Market Women, are the Underpinning of the Haitian Economy

Photo is from the Madan Sara film website ~Filmmaker Etant Dupain, left with Clotilde Achille who worked closely with the team on the groundbreaking documentary.

In Etant Dupain's documentary film, Madan Sara, one sees the foundational importance of Haiti's market women, or Madan Sara: "Madan Sara is Ours. Madan Sara is Haiti." Most sara inherit their place in Haitis economy from their mothers, creating a multi-generational and foundational center for Taiti’s economy. They are the lodestone.  The sara's primary job is to transport agricultural produce from rural farmers and secluded villages to vibrant, open-air markets and major cities such as Port-au-Prince. Not only do they transport food, but sara also utilize their knowledge to plant gardens, purchase and sell land, promote the planting of trees, and support livestock. Most importantly, madan sara build and promote social capital. In so doing, they gain respect as an integral part of every economic community in Haiti, build crucial relationships with actors along their particular routes.  

All the same, they, and their work, remain unrecognized in our global community. Madan saras work in the informal sector of the labor market, often lacking labor market protections and working under harsh and dangerous conditions. However, despite the risks that come with their work, the madan sara persevere and continue to solidify their place in Haiti’s economy. These powerful women make up the intricate fabric of Haiti. Despite the hardship they face and stigma surrounding their place in the informal job market, the madan sara’s tireless and persistent work both provides for their children and communities. Without the work of these women, Haitians in large cities would go without food, displaying the generational impact the sara have in nourishing both the physical and economic health of their country 

Despite making up the fabric of Haitian society, the madan sara’s contributions often go unrecognized as they are confined to the margins of society. As the job of the sara continues throughout generations, they create a strong resistance to capitalist policies and the marginalization of their community. In addition to promoting food security from afar through our donations, we must look for the many ways women are filling the cracks within Haitian society to care for communities and lead the way forward via innovation and creativity.  

Thank you for reading. This post is submitted by R.I.I.S.E. leaders Leena Geloo and Ruby Hurvitz.

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