Eco-Friendly Girl-owned Microenterprises in Haiti

Dear Friend of HAGN Girls,

 I am so happy to share progress on our eco-friendly girl micro-entrepreneurs project.

 Following receipt of their solar cookstoves, “Little Chat by Solar Cooking” took place in May and June with the girls in the Solino community. These chats were an opportunity to strengthen collaborative work among the girls.

 The activity started with a quick preparation of one of their specials. Once the recipe was ready and set in one of their solar cook stove, the graduates shared ideas for their small enterprises.

 It was amazing to see how the girls had given some thoughts to the type of the products that would sell well and the key selling points, like their neighborhoods, schools, etc. Some of the products they are considering producing are cupcakes, sweet potatoe breads, cookies, and more... Some of them have already formed a partnership for catering services.

 The chats took place in a very friendly atmosphere with regular checking of the day’s special. The girls also developed a draft business plan and concluded their “Little Chat by Solar Cooking” with a tasty snack.

 I would like to thank you very much for making it possible for those girls to become micro entrepreneurs. Considering the violent events in Haiti these past few days, girls need support more than ever to help them break the cycle of violence and poverty.

 Sixteen more poor girls are counting on support from other people like you to help empower them. Help us spread the word to help collect the remaining funds to help make it happen. Please consider sharing with your friends, colleagues, and networks.

 With my deepest gratitude,

Myriam

Dear Friend of Hagn Girls,

It is with great joy and pride that I am sharing news on our first class of girl micro-entrepreneurs.

On March 28, 2018, in the presence of parents and friends, fifteen out of sixteen girls received their certificate as a result of successful completion of a cooking and baking training.   Over the course of three months, sixteen girls benefited from a training program that included personal development, entrepreneurship, cooking and baking, and the use of eco-friendly cooking equipment.

The certificate provided by the board of education following successful completion of the cooking and baking training will help the graduates access jobs in the sector or start micro enterprises using their solar panel.

Thanks to your support, the newly trained micro-entrepreneurs are on their way to autonomy; like Stevencia, one of the participants, said “ Now, I feel empowered!”

Over the course of the next few months, as we continue to raise enough support to provide training to a second group of sixteen girls, the graduates will be meeting regularly to work collaboratively and continue building their skills.  

With our deepest gratitude,

Myriam