Revenue Creation for Women in Rural Haiti

Lambi Fund responded to two organizations with a small women's credit project so that women can do small business ventures for an amount of 1,000,000.00 gourds. Each of these organizations got 250,000.00 gourd funds to start the small project. This money was given to  25 members for each organization. After one year, this money reached 347,886 gourds (capital and interest) for OPDERGM and 306,000.00 gourds for OFAD, which allowed the organization to integrate other people with monthly repayments.

The repayment rate we observed in the two organizations every month varied between 85-90%, but it came down (40-45%) because of the difficulties the women faced to raise the money because of the bad political and economic situation we live in. Travel in and out of Port-au-Prince is tough due to gang activity, so the Lambi Fund staff could not move easily to accompany the organizations during the execution of the project, but the Management Committee of the organizations correctly followed the evolution of the project through the discussions we had on the phone, photos and videos sent to us, and quarterly reports as well.

As a result, the first cycle of the project was not worse, and each organization benefited from a new turnover fund at the end of 2023 as promised by Lambi Fund staff. Each of them again found a fund equal to 250,000.00 gourds to complete their credit portfolios.

The organizations have already distributed this money to 25 members of OFAD and 25 of OPDERGM to strengthen small businesses for women.

Despite the many difficulties related to the corrupt and violent political/economic situation Haiti is currently facing, the women in rural areas stand strong and are making great strides.

A Lambi Fund management consultant met with the women members of Organization of Planters for the Development of the Gwomòn River (OPDERGM) and conducted training on managing a women’s credit union. Thirty women learned about management and accounting of a credit loan portfolio. 

They participated in this training for two days and the discussions took place on the following points: 

• project management structure (different committees) 
• roles of the different committees 
• project strategy 
• tools management such as project accounting book, loan contract sheet, etc.

The business activity continues to flourish, which allows the repayments to be made every month even when there is a slight delay. The organization estimates the reimbursement rate to be 80-85%.  Several more women have joined the project for a total of 45 women participants.