We are walking alongside small and medium businesses in Port-au-Prince and Leogane through our Haiti Business Recovery Initiative and are committed to helping to re-employ 1,000 people by December 2010.

Each of these 1,000 jobs will help to sustain and support a family, allowing them to met immediate and long-term needs – touching and transforming the lives of over 5,000 people. 

 Marie LeFevre, Notre Dame de Lourdes
Until the earthquake, LeFevre's factory and 18 employees produced 40,000 popsicles a day, supplying goods for more than 250 contracted vendors. Her equipment for production and refrigeration has been damaged by the earthquake, and she is in touch with her North American mentors to source new equipment and repairs. She plans to package clean water in popsicle packets for distribution.

Evelien de Gier, Maxima Manufacturing

MAXIMA is a manufacturing company that specializes in furniture, cabinetry and caskets. Within a week after the earthquake, they returned to operation, employing 59 out of their 60 employees. One was injured and will return after recovery. In response to a new market for wood-frame housing units in Haiti, Maxima is collaborating with PorterCorp design and engineering company in Holland, Michigan to test prototypes that will endure the hurricane season, sun, and termites. After the upcoming launch of 300 units, they hope to rapidly expand their business, and employ more people, to meet the demand for housing.

Jean-Ronel Noel, ENERSA Solar-Panel  
As a solar-panel manufacturer employing 22 men from Cite Soleil, ENERA has installed solar-powered streetlamps in 10 Haitian cities over the last two years. All employees are eager to return to work fulltime. Although there were severe damages in their new plant, the reconstruction has begun. They also estimate $100,000 loss in receivables the Haitian government owes them on previous contracts. However, they have a realistic vision for the coming year. With the goal to manufacture and install sustainable lighting within transitional housing communities, the business network of Partners Worldwide is linking ENERSA with potential clients within the market.  

Ralph Edmond, Laboratoires Farmatrix
Before the earthquake, Edmond employed 80 people at his pharmaceutical production company, which he started in 1989. Due to the damages in his production site, warehouse, and downtown sales sites, only a handful 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. Ralph estimates that his current inventory will last for 3 months, and that production will begin within 2 months.

 Sylvie owns SPIA, the oldest and one of the largest pasta manufacturers in Haiti with over 250 employees. Her pasta, a staple in the Haitian diet, is typically distributed through hundreds of street vendors and grocery stores at an affordable price. Three days following the earthquake, the majority of workers returned to the plant. Theard is grateful a high demand remains on the market. However, one piece of machinery has been damaged with estimates of 1 million USD in repairs. Two engineers within the Partners Worldwide network provided structural assessments to their production site.