Grameen Foundation plans relief for Haiti quake victims through microfinance

By Naagesh Naaraayana

Microfinance Focus, Jan. 14, 2010: Grameen Foundation, USA has announced a recovery plan to help the thousands of poor families devastated by the recent earthquake in Haiti.
“The news coverage of emergency rescue and relief efforts (for earthquake victims) make it clear that we have to act now. We need to follow up — with both a short- and long-term economic recovery plan — that will support families and rebuild communities,” it stated in a message.

Earlier, in partnership with its local partner Fonkoze, Grameen Foundation had helped families recover from natural disasters in Haiti. “We created a special microloan program for borrowers in the wake of hurricanes Gustav, Hanna, and Ike that struck Haiti in 2008. We witnessed how microfinance provided the means for families to rebuild their small businesses and their lives. We can do it again!,” said a statement.

Microfinance has proven to be an effective solution to help people rebuild their small businesses and their lives, as evidenced by our work with local partners in Haiti in 2008 after the hurricanes and in Indonesia after the tsunami, the statement said and sought donations for the effort. To support Grameen Foundation’s economic recovery work in Haiti, click here

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