By Marie Marthe Saint Cyr | Executive Director
Meeting Gerta at OFAMMA was one of the best visit I had in the field in March, five motnhs after devastating Hurricane Mathew hit the South of Haiti.
I travel South moving slowly from Port Au Prince to the national route through Carrefour, leogane and entering the coastal way flanked by the amazing turquoise of the sea on the left and the land of ravines, crevaces and returning coverage of greenery.
I was going through a dirt road as we completed the crossing of the river. There was not much water but with the road completely washed away we had to cross and climb on the border to reach the other side. The garden of beans spread till the eyes could not see. Farmers at the edge of the river with irrigation canal has had a first harvest of beans and has now planted, waiting for another harvest in two months. Our ground monitor Antoinier said we are near OFAMMA, Organization for women m,,,,,,,,,, let us say hello to Gerta. Well it was very overcast with probable rain for the rest of the day. So we pulled over and stepped into the fencing area protected with thorny candelabra. We called her name, no answer. So we walk behind the house into the field and there she was and a bit further, her mom. Just the two of them tilling and clearing weeds from a field of beans. Further away a third women.
We were so glad to see her and apologize for the unexpected visit. She did not mind and we started talking about the post Mathew. Although she had lost the roof of her home, she was able to recover a room to safekeep her family.
I asked her how she was doing since she lost the last harvest. She received a small credit of 7,000HDG from OFAMMA and because the region practically lost everything, she traveledl north and purchase some basic goods that she was able to sell making a small profit that help her cover a room and the rest with Tarp so she can survive. OFAMMA was the recepient of a loan fund from the Lambi Fund of Haiti.
While waiting for the rain to plant the seeds she purchased, it has been three months. The microcredit kept her and her family providing for her basic needs. In addition, she was able to provide a valuable service selling basic necesities to those who are unable to travel far to buy needed goods.
On that day I met a woman, a farmer, an artisan and a retailer who, with her mother and daughter, three generation living off the farm and survived the hurricane hardship because a loan was made available to them at 2% interest and as they repaid it the principal and interest will be available for other women, members of OFAMMA.
You made it possible and the gift you give will keep on giving to other women so they can be responsable for their families. Thank you so much for supporting the revenue generating project for women in rural Haiti. You have helped make a difference.
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By Marie Marthe Saint Cyr | executive Director
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