Business Training in Haiti

by | Mar 8, 2021 | Programs

Degaje is a word in Creole that means “make it work” and it applies to so many areas of life. So when a team from Iowa focused on business in Haiti had their mission trips canceled due to political protesting and then COVID-19, they did just that… degaje. They decided to “make it work” and took their business trainings virtual!

14 individuals who have received loans or grants from World Wide Village over the last year were invited to the virtual training. The individuals ranged from those just starting a small business to those who had already had been selling for years but wanted to learn how to grow their business.

The business training focused on calculating profit & loss, the importance of a business plan, the pitfalls of debt, and how to differentiate your business from your competitors. The training consisted of large group lessons and also individual meetings with each participant. 

Here are just a few of the individuals who attended the trainings:

Bethina is a single mom with three kids. She has very little family support but very much desires to be a good mother and care for her children. Our Haitian staff helped Bethina start a small business at her home where she sells food staples.
 
Selling from home allows Bethina to care for her children and provide for their needs financially. She liked learning about how to differentiate her business from others in the community who are selling similar items.
 
 
Nelson is an amazing success story as he has a very successful sandal business that he built with help from a loan from WWV. Nelson is definitely an entrepreneur and also understands business principles. If you’ve been to Haiti you might have a pair of Nelson’s sandals as part of your wardrobe!
 
Nelson was most interested in learning how to market his product more widely to grow his business.
Liliane is a grandma and cares for three of her grandchildren. Liliane used to have a steady job cleaning an orphanage, but when the orphanage closed she lost her job and had no way to care for her grandchildren.
 
World Wide Village helped Liliane start a small business selling charcoal and food supplies in the market. 
 
Siltamene has struggled over the years to raise her children on her own. In the past she sold items in the market to make ends meet. But when Siltamene became ill she lost her business and her family really struggled.
 
World Wide Village helped Siltamene re-start her business selling items in the market. Even though she didn’t have the opportunity to attend school past third grade growing up, she is driven to learn and succeed in business!

We are so thankful for the dedicated team members from Iowa who are committed to helping this group of individuals in Haiti. They are not only helping them grow in their business knowledge, but also in their walk with the Lord. They did a fantastic job teaching good business principles and also brought God’s wisdom into their training. Proverbs 22:7 says “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender” showing the dangers of debt and taking out credit – a problem in Haiti.

We are excited to see how God continues to use these trainings in the lives of those who attended!