By Maureen McMillan
September 27, 2009 was the kick-off of a Jubilee Year to celebrate the anniversary of the deaths of St. Vincent and St. Louise. In announcing this year of celebrations, Fr. Gregory Gay, Superior General of the worldwide Vincentian Family, reiterated the importance of a systemic change approach to serving the poor. To that end, a decision was made to galvanize worldwide Vincentian Family support around a microfinance project in Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere.
Fonkoze, founded in 1994 by a Haitian Catholic priest and the largest microfinance agency in Haiti, has been chosen as the pilot project for the 350th Anniversary. Typically, microfinance provides very small loans for the creation of small, home-based businesses. These loans are made to the very poor who are usually denied access to credit. Microfinance loans help provide steady income and allow the borrower to build savings and economic stability. The interest paid by these borrowers creates a steady stream of funding for future loans to new consumers. The transforming nature of microfinance exemplifies the “hand-up, not hand-out” style of charity that creates real and meaningful change in the lives of the poor. Recognizing that “women are the backbone of the Haitian economy and the doorway into the family unit,” Fonkoze focuses its efforts on building sustainable employment among the women of Haiti.
This new initiative, the Internet Pathway for Haitian Economic Development, will involve the worldwide Vincentian Family, DePaul University, the Haitian Diaspora and Fonkoze. DePaul University will create a website which will link the worldwide Vincentian Family and the Haitian Diaspora to the enterprises and projects “on the ground” in Haiti. Fonkoze will receive deposits from lenders and donors which will use it to fund approved economic enterprises and collect loan repayments. The website will serve as a portal for donations and a means of building communications between Haitians and those in other countries.
The website is scheduled to be up and running in early April. To follow the progress of this effort, visit the Vincentian Family website at: www.famvin.org
Follow the 350th anniversary links for updates on this and other plans for the Jubilee Year.
On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, Haiti was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake causing even greater devastation in a country already wracked by excruciating poverty. Decades of extreme poverty and political instability created a country with buildings and infrastructure that were dangerous even in good times and a physically vulnerable population. The need for financial help is critical and urgent. Please consider giving immediately to relief efforts to help those reeling from the catastrophic effects of the earthquake through agencies such as Catholic Relief Services or the International Red Cross. Please save room in your heart and pocketbook, though, for a donation to Fonkoze once the Internet Pathway is up and running.
Another way to help the poor in Haiti includes Meds and Food for Kids (mfkhaiti.org) which provides a super-fortified peanut butter food to children on the brink of starvation. Meds and Food for Kids uses peanuts grown by local Haitian farmers and is seeking to build a factory which will enable them to provide jobs to the unemployed. For tracking purposes, donations to Meds For Kids should include a note that they are coming from members of the Vincentian Family.
There are so many ways to reach out to the devastated people of Haiti, please take a few moments to do so.
