Lecture on Microfinance in Haiti

http://fonkoze.org

http://fonkoze.org

On November 3, I had the opportunity to listen to a lecture given by Steven Werlin and Bethony Jean Francois on their work with the microfinance institution in Haiti called Fonkoze.  This was interesting for me, because besides my limited knowledge about Haiti, I also knew nothing about microfinance before attending.  Even though everyone else in the room was a business major and completely understood the concepts he was talking about, I still very much enjoyed this lecture.  Fonkoze essentially gives small loans to women in the lowest level of poverty, and then teaches them basic business principles so that they can grow their assets, and eventually apply for larger loans as they continue to grow.  I think this lecture was extremely important for students to attend, especially those in the business school, as it illustrated that there are many different ways to apply what they are learning.  Many people assume once you get a business degree you have to go work in an office, catering to people who can afford whatever service they provide.   These men showed us that people all over the world, even the poorest women in a developing nation, deserve some attention, because the success of their microfinance and education program is a proof that when provided the resources, even minority groups that many would not think would be able to start a business to support themselves, are able to earn a living.