Haiti is currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Recent political chaos has only pushed our brothers and sisters in Haiti closer to the brink of disaster. But small businesses can jumpstart local economies and offer sustainable hope to many.
But we won’t let that happen, will we?
At Bright Hope, we have a proven plan to help churches, families, and communities follow the path out of extreme poverty, toward sustainable hope.
Only a holistic, community-based approach can end years of generational poverty. Bright Hope works exclusively through Bible-believing, in-country church partners to care for basic as well as spiritual needs in impoverished communities. Through a variety of programs that focus on medical care, care for vulnerable children, education, microenterprise, church resourcing and leadership development, communities in Haiti are moving out of poverty and towards self-sustainability.
The Potential of Small Businesses in Haiti
Recently, Bright Hope has been working with our church partner in rural Haiti to build Multi-Service Centers. These centers offer printing and copying services, phone and computer charging stations, and more to the community. When you support a Multi-Service Center, you’re building into a rural community by equipping them to do business locally.
The absence of a printing or copy center in the community makes residents dependent on other cities for those services. A multi-service printing and copy center in the heart of town would be an essential investment that could counterbalance the movement of their limited financial assets from their communities to outsiders.
Daniel’s Story
Daniel, a smart, hard-working young man, operates one of these Multi-Service Centers. Here’s his story, in his own words:
“My name is Daniel. I am from a small, rural town in Haiti. I have just finished my classical studies and now I work as an operator at the service center operated by Bright Hope’s partner church in my town. We offer services such as printing, copying, photos, recharging of electronic devices, refilling services and sale of school materials.”
“Before the opening of this center, the community did not have this type of service. People had to go elsewhere to get them. But now people feel happy to have access to them in their own community. This change has positive effects for the community and residents are satisfied with the quality of service we offer them. Personally, this activity helped me a lot since I was not working. Thanks to the church development committee which recruited me as an operator, now I not only have a source of income, but also acquire computer skills that I did not have before.”
“I feel happy to take an active part in this project. I can participate in the mission of the church by improving the living conditions of people in the community. So, I can’t help but thank the church development committee who did such a good job in establishing this Multi-Service Center in the community. I encourage them to implement other projects aimed at the development of this and other communities.”
Get Involved
Truly, when Bright Hope allies support a local Multi-Service Center in Haiti, it enables the residents to reinvest their money into their own community. In addition, a local multi-service center makes it possible for schools to print educational materials and exams, facilitate business locally and create new income activities within the community.
Thank you for praying for the success of these Multi-Service Centers in Haiti, and for considering how you can start another one…
