Haiti - Short Trip

I am currently on my way home from spending the week in Haiti. I was fortunate to be joined by some of our HIV/AIDS team, Dr. Esther Gwan and Joanna Mayhew, as well as Jeff Demers who provides support to the Haiti office. Later on during the week, we were all joined by a friend of World Relief, Mr. Ken Graber.

My primary purpose for the trip was to work with Ken to start the merger between our microfinance program and another microfinance program managed by World Concern. From looking through our books it is clear our program will definitely benefit from being a part of a larger microfinance program, as I believe will World Concern's program.

We met with USAID and ANIMH (the local microfinance network) and found that this would be the first merger between microfinance programs. This created quite a bit of excitement with the agencies. They are keen for consolidation in the sector, and we hope that we can document lessons learned through our merger, so that we can help other microfinance programs in the future.

I also sat with our HIV/AIDS team to discuss greater support to people giving care to HIV/AIDS sufferers and orphans. We have had a microfinance scheme within our program that has provided them with loans, this year through a grant from Tearfund UK, we are extending this.

Haiti amazes me every time I visit. I have lived in Liberia, immediately following the end of their 14 year civil war, but I think Haiti would be even harder to live in. Port Au Prince is densely populated, and very polluted. Houses cling to steep slopes that are prone to landslides due to the destruction of the environment and soil erosion. With Haiti so close to the US, it is sad that this place is one of the poorest countries in the World.

Much of the food and goods consumed in Haiti are imported. The agricultural sector is very fragile, the regular hurricanes can wipe away crops in a heartbeat. But the food that is produced is often organic, not necessarily by design, but because fertilizer is out of the reach for the majority of farmers.

Our microfinance program is looking at how we can better support the agricultural sector, how we can create 'green' loans to promote good environmental practices, and how we can help the poorest of the poor take small steps out of poverty.

Help World Relief support more people in Haiti, donate now and designate your funds to Microenterprise Development.

Thank you for your support. Gareth

Ikirezi Essential Oils - Hope Replaces Isolation and Poverty

Rwanda is rising. After facing horrible devastation in their country, people are willing to reconcile and work hard to get ahead. Involvement in an enterprise such as Ikirezi can provide the “leg-up” that hardworking widows and orphans need. Working together in cooperatives in the green lush geranium fields, these farmers share hope. a common goal, and their lives.

Odette MUREKATETE, 36 years old, is one of the 50 widows working on the 2 acre plantation in Rwanda’s Gasabo district. In the 1994 genocide, she lost her parents, her children and her husband. Afraid and unable to trust anyone, including her own neighbors, she felt totally alone.

Odette says: “The best thing that the Ikirezi project has done for me, is give me new friends with whom I share my restored and strengthened trust in God. I became a...member of a community. They helped me to finance and building a house, which I didn’t have. After having invested time and work in this project for some time, it now starts to pay off, so I can pay the school fees of the two orphans I’m taking care of. Instead of feeling angry and disappointed in life, I am happy now, and the future is no longer out of sight.”

The Finest Oil

Rwanda’s fertile hills and temperate climate result in the richest flavors and scents. The geranium plant prospers here and its leaves contain natural essential oil. The geraniums are harvested three times a year and the leaves steam distilled. The resulting oil, known for its unique fragrance, is commonly used in cosmetics, perfumes, and aromatherapy products. Ikirezi Natural Products prioritizes not only the purity and quality of its products but also the impact the business has on its surrounding environment . We are committed to providing a full traceable history (‘from seed to bottle’) of all operations carried out on our organic products. Each batch of geranium oil is tested and analyzed by an independent laboratory trained by Rutgers University to ensure the highest quality. The company’s products are organically certified by ECOCERT.