Initial planning for the University of Fondwa (UNIF), began in 2001 when a group of academic thought leaders from the international community gathered in Fondwa, Haiti, and engaged in critical dialogue.
Father Joseph Philippe, CSSp, coordinator of the Association of Peasants of Fondwa (APF) and founder of Fonkoze (a Haitian microfinance and poverty alleviation institution), led this group of individuals from the U.S., France, Cuba, and Haiti.
In January 2004, in honor of Haiti’s bicentennial, the vision of UNIF became a reality. UNIF opened its doors with integrated programs in Agronomy, Veterinary Medicine, and Business Management. Twenty students began their course of theory, practice, and research that would almost certainly change not only their lives, but also the lives of individuals and families throughout rural Haiti.