FROM LOSS TO LEGACY
How a Fashion Business Rose from Haiti's Rubble
In the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Julie joined forces with a community of resilient artisans to create Deux Mains, a sustainable fashion brand built on shared values of dignity, craftsmanship, and opportunity. What began as a response to tragedy evolved into a movement redefining how business can serve humanity.
Her memoir reflects on this collaborative transformation, the lessons learned from listening, leading with empathy, and building enterprises that honor both people and planet. From Loss to Legacy is a story about resilience, impact, and the enduring power of creating something meaningful together.
All profits from From Loss to Legacy go directly to support her charity, REBUILD globally, continuing the mission to fight poverty in Haiti through education and job training.
Discover Julie’s story, Haiti’s resilience and how loss can become legacy.
“BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN”
¨In telling her own story, Julie tells the story of so many whose lives were transformed by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Her clear and honest recollections put the reader at the epicenter of the most challenged and resilient culture in the western hemisphere.¨
Sean Penn, Actor, Director and Humanitarian
Meet the author Julie Colombino- Billingham
Julie Colombino-Billingham is the founder of Deux Mains, a global fair-trade fashion company in Haiti dedicated to creating dignified jobs and sustainable impact. A former aid worker, she arrived in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and transformed her experience into a movement for empowerment and economic resilience. Colombino-Billingham is a finalist for the 2025 United Nations We Empower grant, a recipient of the 2018 Southern Living Beauty Award, and holds an MBA from Rollins Crummer Graduate School of Business. From Loss to Legacy is her powerful memoir of transformation, purpose, and rebuilding hope from the ground up.
Defeating Poverty with Entrepreneurship | TEDxFIU
In her TEDx talk, Julie Colombino-Billingham invites viewers behind the scenes of her journey in Haiti—sharing the moments of doubt, discovery, and determination that shaped her path. With warmth and candor, she explores what it means to truly listen to a community, and how small choices can spark movements that change lives. This talk offers an intimate glimpse into the experiences that inspired her book From Loss to Legacy and the ongoing mission of empowering people through dignity and opportunity.
Deux Mains - Fashion with Purpose
Deux Mains is a fair-trade fashion brand in Haiti that creates premium, sustainable leather goods handcrafted by local artisans. Its name, meaning “two hands” in French, reflects the human touch behind every piece. By blending timeless craftsmanship with responsible materials, Deux Mains empowers communities, supports education, and drives economic renewal across Haiti, proving that fashion can be both ethical and enduring.
100% of profits from this book will be donated to REBUILD Globally.
Alongside her work with Deux Mains, Julie Colombino-Billingham founded REBUILD globally, a nonprofit dedicated to tackling the root causes of poverty in Haiti. Where emergency relief could only provide short-term aid, REBUILD globally focuses on long-term solutions: education, job training, and leadership development.
Over the past decade, the organization has supported hundreds of students through scholarships, created vocational training programs, and opened pathways into dignified employment with Deux Mains and beyond.
All profits from Julie’s memoir From Loss to Legacy directly support this mission—ensuring that every book sold helps provide education, training, and hope in Haiti.
Learn how opportunity, not charity, is changing Haiti’s future.
REBUILD globally
A world without poverty where all people are empowered through dignified work opportunities.