Too poor for loans: Fonkoze micro-finance in Haiti

I listened to a great podcast today on how a Haitian non-governmental organization is making a big difference for the very poorest people of Haiti.

To Fool the Rain: Haiti's Poor and Their Pathway to a Better Life (click on the link to access the one hour podcast)

The podcast highlights a Haitian micro-finance called Fonkoze (click on link to learn more).

One of their programs provides grants to "ultra poor" women in Haiti. The interviewee indicates that these women typically don't have the means to be able to even pay back a small loan. If they make $1.25/day, they are making too much to qualify for the program.

Although our Haiti Educator and Leadership Institute doesn't work directly with the ultra poor of Haiti, our premise is that by appropriately supporting and equipping teachers, we will positively impact the lives of their students who might grow up in incredibly impoverished households.

There are different ways for people to move out of poverty. Certainly, micro-loans can support the ability of individuals to become self-reliant. Education is another means and we must recognize that these are not in competition with each other but are, in fact, part of a holistic approach to development and capacity-building.