On Monday, August 11, 2025, Georges Wilbert Franck, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST), through the National Office of Handicrafts (ONART), launched the Support for the Strengthening of Haitian Artisans' Production Capacity (ARECPAH) project.

This initiative is part of a set of five new public investment projects led by the Ministry.

Speaking at this event, the Minister emphasized the need to strengthen the autonomy of artisans and mobilize Haitian society to support artisanal production.

Furthermore, Minister Franck announced that his Ministry plans to develop multisectoral cooperation with the Ministries of Culture, Trade, Finance, Foreign Affairs, and Tourism to improve the quality and standardization of Haitian artisanal production, for a sustainable socio-economic impact.

The project leader, Maxime Mesilas, believes that this project is a real lever for artisans to fully express their talents. While considering them as true cultural ambassadors, he advocates for the recognition and promotion of their work.

ONART's mission is to organize and develop community craft centers, implement exchange, marketing, and experience-sharing programs in the field of craft promotion, and promote the training, development, and coordination of artisans in their work, among other things.

IH/ iciHaiti