Author John Winings
John Winings retired as the Executive Director of Haiti Fund, Inc. (HFI), which supports the Comprehensive Development Project (CODEP) in October 2016, continuing on for almost a year as senior advisor to CODEP. In June 2010, he and his wife moved to Haiti following the devastating earthquake to help the local farmers manage the project.
Today, with significant progress coming from the combined activities of HFI (now Haiti Reforestation Project), CODEP members and others, CODEP is proud to be considered one of the few successful sustainable agricultural development projects in a country where most projects fail.
The huge strides CODEP has made since its inception is a tribute to the combined activities of CODEP communities and especially the leadership team, which now numbers 17 people, including three leaders filling the Office of the CEO.
The Mountain Majesty trilogy tells the fascinating story of CODEP from its inception through to the middle of 2018. Volume 1 chronicles the early years of experimentation, vision setting, and experimentation to find the best way to accomplish environmental reclamation.
Volume 2 continues the story about how both successes and failures taught valuable lessons as CODEP grew in size and complexity. Following the earthquake John and Debbie moved to Haiti; this volume recounts their learning process and how they gained a fuller understanding of the differences in the two cultures.
Volume 3 explains how CODEP became a Haitian foundation, separate from HRP—facing challenging new leadership independence and major organizational changes both in the US and Haiti—valuable lessons for everyone involved.
This trilogy tells the unique history of the people who have changed lives far beyond their own families and communities.
Having worked for fifty years in industry and small businesses in a variety of positions, John brought energy, experience, compassion, and well-honed skills to assist CODEP at a critical stage in its history.
Because of the efforts of many, many people, both Haitian and American, CODEP has become an important model for those wishing to understand the vitality and richness of Haiti that translates into sustainable agricultural development.
