Vertile Foundation Vertile Foundation The mission of The Vertile Foundation is to cultivate youth development and community stability in Carrefour, Haiti. The Vertile Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization, founded by Haitian national and Boulder resident, Rico Changeux. It is an effort to raise funds to renovate and build upon Rico’s family home in Carrefour. This home will ultimately house 40 Haitian children who are currently in need of a home and an opportunity. The Vertile House will provide a home, space for community, education and vocational training for the children who live there. It is named “The Vertile House”, in honor of Rico’s late mother. VERTILE THE WOMAN WHO INSPIRED THE VISION Rico established the Vertile Foundation in honor of his late mother, Vertile Nicaisse Changeux. Although Vertile died when he and his siblings were teenagers, she remains an inspiration, and Rico has never forgotten the lessons his mother taught him. Vertile impressed upon her children the importance of hard work, compassion and altruism. She also truly enjoyed her son’s spirit and talent, and supported his artistic endeavors. “My mother […] Haiti has the dubious distinction of being the poorest country in the western hemisphere. This tiny island, roughly the size of Maryland, is home to 8.3 million people, most of whom live on less than $2 per day. The devastating earthquake that rocked Haiti in January of 2010 left as many as 300,000 dead and over 1 million homeless. The capital city of Port-au-Prince was effectively leveled. More than 30,000 commercial buildings and 250,000 residences on the island were completely demolished. Life in Haiti […] READ MORE > HAITI'S STORY A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT HAITI THE BRIQUETTES SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE FUEL SOURCE One of Haiti’s most immediate threats, and one that continues the cycle of poverty and vulnerability to natural disasters, is the catastrophic state of Haiti’s natural environment. Specifically, the deforestation of the island, where less than 1.5% of Haiti’s tree cover remains intact. The primary cause of the country’s environmental degradation has been Haitians’ need for energy. Chronic energy shortages and an […] READ MORE >READ MORE > THE MISSION CULTIVATE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT The house has been deemed structurally sound by many engineers, yet it needs significant upgrades to comfortably and securely house 40 children. Many of these upgrades are already completed or underway, including a security wall around the property, a large indoor/outdoor kitchen, and a utility pole for the house.