After getting a PhD in economics at Vanderbilt University, Muhammad Yunus returned to his newly independent country Bangladesh, to teach at a university. There was a famine in the country and Prof. Yunus stated, "the economic theories in my text book...

Our meeting was on the sun drenched, quiet, peaceful and remote fields in Dezyen Plene, in a machete hewn tin roofed school house, profiled in earlier posts. Surrounding the structure are corn fields and mango trees. Chickens, mules, horses, and bull...

With the days of extensive interviewing over and the selection process completed, all the novice members met to begin the formal steps of induction. So at 1:00 in the afternoon, 200 women gathered. The intent was, to form mutual guarantee groups of 5...

At 5 in the morning, the streets by the ocean are quiet but for the goats, chickens, dogs, cats, mules and pigs. These animals are truly ubiquitous. They will be found in the center of villages, churches, schools and in homes.  Also unforutnatel...

There were approximately 270 women interested in becoming a member of Fondespwa. So over the course of 3 days, we interviewed them all. The interviews, to which they were assigned specific times, ran each day from 8 to 12 and 1:30 to 5. The women wer...

All aspects of the party were organized by the Fondespwa staff. They decorated the facility with balloons, hung paper ornaments and signs. They made it as festive as possible. As usual, there was plenty of robust singing and dancing with skits (which...

At the start of the parade, the members sang the Haitian national anthem, then began their march singing the Fondespwa theme song, for the first time, as they made their way down the streets.  At the end point, they had hoisted a banner across t...

The first members to arrive for the parade came from Dezyem Plen 45 minutes away, in an open half-ton truck under the intense sun. They paid for the trip themselves. Just wanted to be here. In preparation, each Group Leader was presented a banner to ...

The women decided to have a rehearsal, so the party would be a success. Surprising, that the members would even want to do that, but they appear to take this all pretty seriously.  A good number turned out and they even had arranged for a band t...

Returned yesterday to Haiti with anticipation of a fairly busy next couple of weeks. We will be interviewing a new cadre of women interested in becoming members of Fondespwa, then establishing their groups plus the necessary paper work (passbooks, co...

The majority of the Fondespwa meetings have a high level of energy which culminates in robust singing at the end of each meeting. The singing at the recent meetings went on and on with much exhuberance. It was an enjoyable time, as are most of the se...

Because Haiti is a developing country, there are many individuals and organizations trying to make a difference, in the lives of Haitians. This is no more evident than with the kiddo orphans. These little ones will have a tough and uncertain future, ...

We spent the day at the open market visiting members of Fondespwa, to see how they plied their trade and also to inquire on the value add of the loans they received. As noted in prior blogs, the feedback was across the board, encouraging. The net-net...

A ubiquitous site in Haiti are tents, some isolated while others are set up in places called, Tent City. Due to the earthquake for tens of thousands, this is their only available shelter. On the sides of the roads, are banks not of grass but rubble, ...

After leaving the airport in Port au Prince, and then moving through the city one is immediately greeted with the rubble, rubbish and ruins of this country.  What is equally unfortunate, there is no let up on the poverty as one travels to...

Throughout Saturday, at the open market, we spent time with some of the women, in whom Fondespwa has invested. We wanted to see them plying their trade real time, in concert with getting feedback on how helpful or not their loan has been. It is alway...

After 7 meetings with the entrepreneurs in Des Plaines, where we have explained the details of affiliating with Fondespwa and our mutual responsibilities, the business women finally received their loan.Each group of 5-7 members, signs duplicate copie...

The following are additional members of Fondespwa, who we interviewed for a few minutes, while they were at their "office". We wondered, if the loan they had received had made a difference in their lives. In short, they all stated it enabled them to ...

Over the course of the last few days, we met briefly with some of the Fondespwa members conducting commerce in the marketplace. These are business women that have loans from Fondespwa and are attempting to expand their operations. As one can see, it ...

The constant visual whether one is in Port au Prince or a small town consists of rubbish (plastic, paper, bottles etc,) rubble from half completed or abandoned homes, and ruin resulting from the earthquakes impact.The rubbish blankets the country, wh...

St. Etienne is a 30 minute drive up the mountains where we have a group of 45 women (largest number we allow in each meeting). The views as we meander up the steep incline allows one to see the surrounding villages in the valley below and the ocean i...

Every adult has their story.Theirs will begin,"I was an orphan..." A prime reason why Fondespwa exists is to assist women in having enough so they do not need to give up their little ones....

The forty one women of Fondespwa, which will constitute the first group in Des Plaines, met today. The purpose of the meeting was to select their groups, group leaders and a group name. A foundational element of Fondespwa is the mutual group payment ...

One of the staff members of Fondespwa was married today. Maestro (his nick name as he directs music at the church) who is 33, was married in a small wedding in Jacmel, 1 1/2 hours north over the mountains.Typically, Haitian weddings are held in churc...

Most of the day, we interviewed the women, who are interested in Fondespwa. We travelled to Des Plaines, 30 minutes west of Grand Goave and met from 8 AM till 3. Interviews in the US are often conducted in air conditioned offices with leather chairs,...