Revenue Creation for Women in Rural Haiti

There are currently 5 women organizations that we are currently assisting and monitoring. It is as follows:

• Simon Women's Group (GFS) 

• Mutual Men in the Same Women of Pòsali 

• Mutual Association of Peasants of Tet Kole Kavayon (APTEKKA) 

• Organization of Women in Action of the Commune of Dessalines (OFAD) 

• Peasants' Organization of Ravin Gwomon Development (OPDERGM)

New members are regularly integrating into the project. In addition, adaptations are made to the management system established by the organizations.

In the Simon Women's Group (GFS), the project started with a fund of 500,000.00 gourdes. The organization distributed the funds to 25 women as part of a credit program to launch their small business. The members agree to repay the funds after 6 months with an interest of 2%. As expected, the repayment was made 100% on the scheduled date.

The fund has now reached 560,000.00 because 60,000.00 gd has been received as interest. This money was received at the end of November 2024. After the Organization's assessment at the end of the first phase of the project in December 2024, this money was redistributed in January 2025 to 28 women, including 11 new individuals. The Organization decided to distribute to the women who did not receive in the first distribution.

In the Mutual Fund for Women's Groups, the system differs from Simon Women’s Group. The women receive the loan for 9 months, every 3 months they repay 1/3 of the money they borrowed plus interest over the 3 months. The interest rate is still 2%, the same as the other groups. After the first quarter of the project's execution, 116,000.00 gourdes have been received (principal + interest). This money has allowed the Mutual Fund to integrate an additional 10 women into the project, which brings the number of members to 40.

In the second quarter of the project, the reimbursement will increase. Instead of 116,000.00 GD it will increase to approximately 161,000.00 GD. This will allow for an additional 10-15 new members who will integrate into the project. Therefore, the number of members can increase from 30 to approximately 55.

Within APTEKKA, there are 13 groups with a total of 134 members, 65% of whom are women, who received a total of 1,680,000.00 gourdes from Lambi to increase their working capital. They received funding in 2 parts.

To recap, the first set of recipients consisted of 7 groups who received 900,000.00 gourdes ($6,923.07 US) at the end of 2023. The second set of recipients consisted of the remaining 6 groups who received 780,000.00 gourdes ($6,000.00 US). The funds were repaid in October 2024.

Credit activities, member dues, and repayments are carried out monthly in all groups as planned.

15 months after receiving this fund, the activities that they have carried out have allowed them to generate an interest of 339,170.00 gourdes. The capital plus this interest continues to roll over into the mutual funds to provide credit to their members.

The amount of money a member can receive as a loan depends on the amount of money the group has in its reserve fund for lending, the amount of money the member contributes to the mutual fund, and the member's management skills. Each mutual fund has a management committee that oversees all operations to ensure funds are allocated properly.

Every year, each organization generates a financial report to the members to disclose how their group is doing and know what they have as reserves in each fund.

Generally, refunds are made at 90-95%, if a member is late, according to the established terms, he will pay 2% interest on the amount he owes when he comes to pay. This condition was established to encourage members to pay on time.

The OPDERGM AND OFAD credit projects are in the closing phase, but they continue to operate decently despite the challenges of the country. The high cost of living and the high level of insecurity in the areas where these organizations are located in the Artibonite Department mean that trading activities cannot function properly. Transportation costs have increased, goods have become more expensive and the purchasing power of the population in these areas has decreased significantly.

It is difficult for women to make a profit from their trading activities, especially those who are forced to use their trading funds to care for people who have been victims of insecurity problems in their regions. Therefore, repayments are not enforced. Consequently, money circulation cannot be carried out successfully among these groups.

However, currently in OFAD there is an amount equivalent to more than 375,000.00 gourdes circulating in the hands of 30 women, while in OPDERGM there is a revolving fund of 155,000.00 gourdes circulating in the hands of 12 women.

The women sell various items such as food products (milk, oil, flour, soap, sugar, cookies, etc.), agricultural products bought in the area (beans, corn, grocery products), and cosmetic products. Some women purchase animals to slaughter (goats) to sell the meat. Other women sell fried and cooked food.

The women in all these organizations trade all kinds of products with the money that they borrowed. The goods and products traded or sold depend on the season and the area in which they live in. Nonetheless, this project encourages economic growth within the communities and assist women to develop the necessary skill sets in business. Most of all, women are generating a source of income for their household.