11/20/2024
For over 30 years, Fonkoze has provided microfinance and related services to small-scale entrepreneurs, especially women, across the Haitian countryside. The tools these women have received from Fonkoze have helped them feed their families, send their children to school, and improve other aspects of their lives.
It can sometimes feel as though Haiti has drifted from one crisis to another during that time. There were major hurricanes in 2004 and 2008, a disastrous earthquake in 2010, and then more hurricanes and earthquakes. Along the way, there were also multiple bouts of political instability and violence. Things seem to go from bad to worse.
But in the midst of what can feel like a downward spiral, thousands of Haitian families continue their struggle to thrive, and Fonkoze’s microfinance and development services give those families tools to sustain their fight.
Fonkoze’s deep community roots and trusted networks become even more essential when conventional systems falter. Our established relationships with local communities, built over 30 years, enable us to continue operating and serving vulnerable populations even under challenging circumstances. The current situation makes Fonkoze’s work not just important but indispensable:
- As formal banking systems face disruption, Fonkoze’s microfinance services have become one of rural communities’ few reliable financial resources. Almost all of Fonkoze’s rural branches remain in operation despite their challenges.
- When supply chains are under stress, the small businesses that Fonkoze supports help maintain access to essential goods and services. Without major retailers and shipping companies, Haiti’s market women are the principal distribution network, and many of these women depend on Fonkoze.
- As economic pressures mount, Fonkoze’s literacy programs and business training give women the tools to adapt and sustain their families. Fonkoze’s development staff remains in the field, supporting its clients and members.
History shows that times of crisis can either break communities or make them stronger. Through Fonkoze, we can help Haitian communities emerge more resilient. Every loan that allows a woman entrepreneur to keep her business running, every literacy class that teaches someone to manage their finances better, and every gesture of accompaniment that helps a woman begin to lift her family out of extreme poverty strengthens the foundation of the families we serve. These individual transformations ripple outward, reinforcing the fabric of entire communities.
Supporting Fonkoze today means believing in Haiti’s future when that belief is most needed. It means standing with dedicated local staff who continue their vital work despite tremendous obstacles. Most importantly, it means ensuring Haiti’s most vulnerable citizens don’t face these challenging times alone.
The road ahead for Haiti is uncertain, but Fonkoze’s mission remains clear: to provide tools and opportunities for Haitians to build better lives, no matter the circumstances. In these challenging times, your support doesn’t just maintain hope; it actively creates the foundation for recovery and renewal. Now, more than ever, your commitment to Fonkoze makes a profound difference in keeping the light of opportunity burning for thousands of Haitian families.
In Solidarity,
Erlantz Hyppolite, Executive Director, Fonkoze USA
Dominique Boyer, CEO, Fonkoze Financial Services
Carine Roenen, Executive Director, Fonkoze Foundation
Image by Maxence Bradley
