MEDA helps to balance relief with recovery
More than a month after the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, millions there are still struggling to get back on their feet in a country where, even before the earthquake, the per-capita income averaged less than $2 a day. "In the early stages following a disaster," notes Allan Sauder, MEDA president, "survivors need food, water and shelter, but almost immediately they also require ongoing access to cash, savings accounts and remittances from family overseas."
Following the earthquake's initial shocks – both physical and emotional – many Haitians now want to get back to some sense of normalcy. In a country where few are formally employed, people need to replace the tools of their trade lost in the earthquake so they can get back to earning an income through the informal economy.
MEDA is aiding microfinance partner Fonkoze – the largest microfinance organization in Haiti – throughout this critical process. With your generous donations – almost $90,000 to date – MEDA will help thousands of Haitians regain their livelihoods and stimulate their local economy. Through Fonkoze's network of 41 branches, more than 200,000 clients, many of whom have lost inventory and equipment, will be helped to obtain new loans and access their savings to get back into business – essentially kick-starting the economy.
Precieuse Jeune has been a Fonkoze client for almost four years. Her small restaurant business was thriving, and she had a flow of steady customers. “Since joining Fonkoze, my life really changed. Before, I was serving my food on the streets, under a bed sheet. With Fonkoze, I was able to build this little restaurant and even had a couple of bulbs with electricity in there.”
She and her family survived the earthquake, but her home did not. Precieuse is still very grateful: “My family is ok, my restaurant is ok, I lost some assets, but I am alive and I can continue to work. I will fix my home when I can.” Precieuse lost many of her regular clients, her business is not as prosperous, but she is working. She is worried that for the first time since she has been with Fonkoze, she might be late with her loan repayment. But she says, “I will work hard so that will not happen, I love Fonkoze and I want to continue be a good member.”
MEDA is demonstrating our long-term commitment to Fonkoze by increasing our investment with them, helping Fonkoze access other capital sources and thus making more cash available to clients.
MEDA is committed to helping the people of Haiti over the long term. And we believe there is no better way to do it than through Fonkoze, which is demonstrating creative ways to quickly get much needed cash into their clients' hands, as you will see in the following story.
I hope you will join us. To find out how, just click here. Please keep the people of Haiti in your thoughts and prayers.
How to Donate:
Online: https://www.medatrust.org/haiti
By Phone: 1-800-665-7026
By Mail at:
USA: 1821 Oregon Pike, Suite 201, Lancaster, PA 17601-6466
Canada: 155 Frobisher Drive, Suite I-106, Waterloo, ON N2V 2E1 |
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