Program: Purpose: Amount: Term: Start date: Location:

Microfinance Enable Fonkoze’s long-term recovery from the earthquake in Haiti $4.5 million Two years April 2010 Haiti

Why We Partnered

For over half a century, Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) has delivered innovative and successful, market-driven programs to improve disadvantaged communities. Since 1986, MEDA has worked in microfinance in Haiti. Founded in 1994, Fonkoze is the only national microfinance provider in Haiti and is a vital part of the rural economy where the majority of poor people live. Both organizations have worked closely for more than 15 years. MEDA is an investor and a board member of Fonkoze.

The January 2010 earthquake killed more than 230,000 Haitians and made 1.9 million people homeless. Nearly 600,000 people have migrated into rural communities, creating enormous economic and social pressures there. This program is aimed at the long-term recovery of Fonkoze and its poorest clients. By supporting its operations through MEDA, the Foundation will enable Fonkoze the flexibility to use its own resources to help employees and clients to rebuild their lives and businesses. By stimulating economic activities in rural communities, the program will help extremely poor communities impacted by internal migration.

Anticipated Impact

• Directly assist 5,000 extremely poor women to create new livelihoods. With households taken into account, this support will benefit close to 25,000 people
• Enable institutional recovery by re-establishing its headquarters and branches destroyed in the earthquake and allow Fonkoze to get clients restart their businesses. All told, this support will benefit 70,000 people.