Rebuilding the Marketplace in Haiti

Partners Worldwide, a business development ministry that has ties to the Christian Reformed Church, published a report following the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti that describes the mixed status of businesses with which Partners Worldwide is connected.

Partners Worldwide also posted a report from the field in an article on "God's Politics" blog of Sojourners Magazine. To learn more about the work of Partners Worldwide in Haiti and over 20 other countries, visit their website, www.partnersworldwide.org.

Although the report and the blog give only a snapshot of the business climate in earthquake-ravaged Haiti, together they tell a story of companies that survived and are back in operations, as well as businesses that lost their buildings and had employees injured, and perhaps even killed, in the 7.0 on the Richter scale earthquake.

For instance, there is the bakery owned by Josué, an entrepreneur who is experiencing an astronomical rise in the price of his supplies. "After moving to a new building last year, Josué's bakery grew from six employees to 14. Although the new building endured the earthquake, the price of his supplies rose 150 percent in the first two weeks. Josué plans to return to full production in order to maintain jobs and meet the demands for food on the market that cannot be fully met by aid alone," says the Partners Worldwide report.

Then there is the business of Marie LeFevre, a factory in which 18 employees produced 40,000 popsicles a day—enough to supply more than 250 contracted vendors. The owner is working feverishly to repair damaged equipment so she can use clean water to make the popsicles and water packets for distribution.

In Haiti, Partners Worldwide walks alongside three local business affiliates, including Haitian Partners for Christian Development, that provide a range of resources to help Haitians expand existent small and medium size businesses, ranging from five employees each to 300. All members of the affiliates have a shared vision of a country full of employment. Partners Worldwide utilizes mentoring, training, access to capital, and advocacy to enable them to achieve that vision.

Partners Worldwide is listed as "denominationally related" on the CRCNA website A critical element of Partners' work is the dynamic partnership with the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and their strong network of field staff around the world.

It works frequently in communities in which the Christian World Relief Committee is doing work. CRWRC provides aid and relief, when needed, and also community development work, which is where Partners Worldwide will often step in to support programs that increase employment and improve small businesses.

In Haiti, Maxima is another company impacted by the earthquake. The manufacturing company specializes in furniture, cabinetry and caskets. They were back in operation within a week of the earthquake. While one employee was injured, 59 of the 60 are back to work.

To meet immediate needs for housing in the earthquake zone, Maxima has begun collaborating with PorterCorp in Holland, MI, to create housing units for as many people as possible before the rainy season begins in March.

ENERSA is a company with 22 employees, and has manufactured and installed solar-powered streetlamps in 10 Haitian cities over the last two years. All employees are accounted for and, even though six currently reside in refugee camps, they return to the site each day to secure the plant, which is under reconstruction. The owner also estimates a $100,000 loss in receivables the Haitian government owes them on previous contracts, according to the Partners Worldwide report. Still, the company hopes to find contracts in installing solar-powered streetlights and phone chargers in transitional housing communities and refugee camps around the city.

Then there is Ralph Edmond, says the Partners Worldwide report. Edmond employed 82 people at a pharmaceutical production company he started in 1989. "Due to the damages in his production site, warehouse, and downtown sales sites, only 24 of his staff are back to work. Local construction workers are currently repairing his factory and warehouse, and his North American partner is sourcing equipment that Ralph must replace. He estimates that his current inventory will last for three months, and that production will begin within two months."

Sylvie Theard owns SPIA, one of the largest pasta manufacturing companies in Haiti with over 250 employees. Three days following the earthquake, the majority of workers returned to the plant. Two North American engineers within the Partners Worldwide network recently provided structural assessments to the site, as well as 25 other buildings within the Haitian business network.

SPIA’s challenges include damage to a section of their machinery that carries a repair estimate of more than $1 million USD.

This piece of machinery is of particular importance to their employees, says Fritz Hall, SPIA’s administrator, in an article on the Sojourner’s blog by Jacqueline Klamer, a communications associate with Partners Worldwide who lived in Haiti last year and returned for two weeks following the earthquake.

"We fabricate our pasta products here in Haiti while others import their products and then only package them in bags here. We are the oldest company that produces locally. Many local jobs depend on our equipment and approach."

Despite the challenges, the SPIA team has taken time to give thanks to God. "When we saw that our buildings were still operable and that no one had died, we were so happy and came together in prayer," says Hall in the blog. Partners Worldwide, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, provides small and medium enterprise support via mentoring, training, access to capital, and advocacy in 20 countries.