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History of UNIF 2004 Founded in 2004 to celebrate Haiti’s 200 years of independence, The University of Fondwa 2004 (UNIF) is Haiti’s first rural university. It offers students from throughout the rural countryside a rigorous education in three faculties, Agronomy, Veterinary Medicine, and Management, with a significant concentration on practical application. The Haitian and international faculty teach in four languages, Haitian Creole, French, English, and Spanish. Students pledge to return to their home communities upon graduation to implement sustainable development projects. Mission of the University To train a new generation of citizens who will participate in the sustainable and integrated development of their country and to develop in them a sense of citizenship, whereby graduates will value the needs of the community at least as much as their own. Why a Rural University? The majority of young people in the rural communities of Haiti are forced to look elsewhere for viable opportunities. By bringing needed educational and professional resources to Fondwa, these youth will be encouraged to stay within the rural areas and work for their development.
The agricultural methods used in the mountains of Haiti are not productive, sustainable or competitive. This situation affects economic, social and cultural development, the distribution of wealth, environmental conservation and quality of life.
The University will bring needed stimulation to all of these areas by ultimately providing each rural community with its own team of professionals who specialize in agronomy, veterinary medicine and management. The result will be not only economic development, but also a brighter future for the rural youth of the nation.
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