On a narrow dirt road that leads to the Dominican Republic border from Mirebalais, Haiti, lies a bustling market filled with patrons and vendors of all kinds. To navigate through the crowded scene takes a bit of finesse and agility as virtually every square foot of the market is being utilized. The rich aroma of sweet plantains, rice and beans accompany the attention-grabbing sounds of vendors calling out their specials for the day.
In the middle of all this movement sits a vibrant and confident looking woman named Marie Ange Septembre. Surrounded by piles of her clothing inventory, she tenaciously tries to sell a set of tank tops to a somewhat interested patron.
Marie Ange wasn’t always the confident woman she is today. A member of Fonkoze’s ultra-poverty alleviation program CLM (Chemen Lavi MayÒ or Pathway to a Better Life), she says that she has learned some valuable life lessons that have helped to improve her self-esteem and her family’s livelihood. “I think back to how I was before I joined. My life wasn’t good at all. I had been struggling and suffering since I was a little girl. CLM has shown me a better way.” Since the passing of her mother when Marie Ange was only eight, her life has lacked stability. Moving from one family member’s home to several others throughout her youth made it difficult for her to discover her self-worth and find her place in this world. Through CLM, though, Marie Ange has worked hard to beat the odds stacked against her – and it is paying off.
Now on a pathway to a better future, Marie Ange says, “I want to thank all of you who started CLM for the poor who are struggling. I walk with so much happiness now because of what the program has helped me to achieve. My children are in school, and I have built a home that I can finally call my own.”
