Country

Haiti

FoProBim
& Olivier Jobard

Urban street covered in mud and debris with colorful buses — Léogâne Gate, Port-au-Prince. Gangs tax buses entering the capital Port au Prince.

Person in white shirt and yellow cap holding rifle — Carrefour, Port-au-Prince. The Ti Bébé gang seizes the Mariani district, Port au Prince.

Group of people walking along urban street carrying bags and belongings — Carrefour. Residents flee clashes between the Ti Bébé gang and police, Port au Prince.

People walking along elevated path next to standing water and debris — Carrefour. Residents flee clashes between the Ti Bébé gang and police, Port au Prince.

Crowded interior of concrete building — Port-au-Prince. Displaced families from Carrefour Feuille shelter in the Rex Theater.

Bustling evening market scene with vendors and shoppers — Cap-Haïtien. Mangrove charcoal sold for about 500 gourdes (US$3.50) a sack.

Person holding pink patterned umbrella standing on street — Cap-Haïtien under heavy rain and storm clouds.

Woman in dark vest laughing joyfully while sitting among large wrapped bundles at waterfront during dusk — Cap-Haïtien. Mangrove charcoal sold for about 500 gourdes (US$3.50) a sack.

Person carrying large white sack on shoulder — Cap-Haïtien. Mangrove charcoal sold for about 500 gourdes (US$3.50) a sack.

Large stack of filled sacks at sunrise or sunset beside water — Cap-Haïtien. Mangrove charcoal sold for about 500 gourdes (US$3.50) a sack.

Child in blue shirt mid-leap over debris-filled waterway — Cap-Haïtien. Waste piles accumulate in the city.

Two fishermen in wooden boat on calm ocean at dawn or dusk — Caracol. Fishermen Franklin Pierre and Maurice Desamour return with 4 kg of fish and six small lobsters.

Close-up of fishing basket being emptied over boat — Caracol. Fishermen Franklin Pierre and Maurice Desamour return with 4 kg of fish and six small lobsters.

Four young people standing in shallow ocean waves taking selfies with phones — Limonade. Sea festival for Saint Philomena blends Catholic and Vodou tradition.

Man's back view holding orange chainsaw in field with thick smoke — Caracol. Charcoal production using non-mangrove wood.

Interior of church during service, congregation facing altar with priest — Limonade. Sea festival for Saint Philomena draws pilgrims and Vodou followers.

Silhouette of person in yellow shirt standing on beach looking toward bay — Cap-Haïtien. Waste accumulation.

Four children standing on coastal rocks at low tide — Cap-Haïtien. Waste accumulation.

Man in light blue shirt bending over to tend rows of young plants — Caracol. Joel Charles oversees planting of 20,000 red mangroves.

Field of young mangrove seedlings planted in muddy tidal area — Camp Louise. A nursery managed by fisherman Reynold Alexis, with over 10,000 mangroves planted.

Image 21 (021): Aerial view of flooded coastal neighborhood with densely packed buildings — Cap-Haïtien expands onto mangrove zones.

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Haiti – Fondation pour la Protection de la Biodiversité Marine (FoProBiM)

In the Cap-Haïtien region, Haiti’s mangrove forests are a lifeline for both marine biodiversity and local fishing communities. Rising seas and warming waters threaten these vital ecosystems, but communities have fought to safeguard the forests that sustain their livelihoods.

In 2025, The PhotoBridge Project worked with Olivier Jobard, known for his intimate and dignified storytelling, to document the efforts of the Fondation pour la Protection de la Biodiversité Marine (FoProBiM). Since 1992, FoProBiM has worked to protect Haiti’s marine ecosystems and watersheds, promoting sustainable practices that balance human needs with environmental stewardship.

Olivier’s photography coincided with the Fisherman’s Festival in Limonade (September 5–6), capturing both the cultural vibrancy of the festival and the ongoing work to preserve mangroves. These images reveal how environmental protection, community engagement, and cultural tradition intersected to create a resilient and thriving coastal ecosystem.

About the Fondation pour la Protection de la Biodiversité Marine (FoProBiM)

Founded in 1992, the Fondation pour la Protection de la Biodiversité Marine (FoProBiM) is one of Haiti’s oldest environmental organizations, dedicated to protecting marine ecosystems and watersheds. The foundation works with coastal communities to promote sustainable fishing practices, restore mangrove forests, and safeguard biodiversity. By empowering local people to protect natural resources, FoProBiM ensures that both the environment and the livelihoods it supports are preserved for future generations.