For many, the Easter season is a time of hope and praise. It is a time of celebration and reflection upon the blessings we have been grateful enough to receive. For those living in Delmas, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, these things, along with Easter, seem very far off.
In America, we are always planning for the future, always looking ahead. For the people of Saints Simon and Jude Parish, each day is a battle to survive. Many families are only able to provide one meal a day to their children, these are the lucky ones. Some families are not so fortunate. These families are forced to roam the streets to beg for money and food in order to stay alive.
This Easter season Father Anaclet Mukendi, CICM, pastor of the Saints Simon and Jude Parish, needs our help in bringing hope and livelihood to the families of Delmas, Port-au-Prince. He plans to launch a strategy called “micro-business” which is designed to encourage personal responsibility and accountability, while at the same time, fostering industriousness, pride of self-sufficiency, and social responsibility. In order to make this project a success, he needs our help!
Here is how the project works:
1. Father Anaclet will select 20 trustworthy parishioners who are struggling to provide even one meal a day for their families and give them each $500 U.S. as capital to invest in a micro-business that they are capable of “running.” These businesses include selling beans, corn, rice, sugar, milk, or charcoal.
2. Then, he explains in detail how the micro-finance program will work. He informs them that they are accountable for their investment and sales activities and that they must return 25% of their profits each quarter until the full $500 initial investment is paid back.
3. Next, he monitors the ongoing progress of each “entrepreneur” for 1 year, giving advice and encouragement as needed.
4. Lastly, he “recycles” the returned $500 per person investment to other families so that the cycle repeats itself and spreads to others year to year.
As you can see, this “recyclable” project will be a huge step toward providing a sustainable means of livelihood to the families and individuals of Delmas, Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Father Anaclet calls on us during this hopeful time to help raise funds for 20 families in order to get this project started in 2017.
If you are not able to give a gift this season, we ask for your prayers for Father Ananclet, these 20 families, and for the success of this poverty-alleviating venture. We thank you for your consideration and pray that you and your loved ones have a blessed Easter.
Help us support the families and economy of Saints Simon and Jude Parish this Easter season.
