{"id":42725,"date":"2016-07-29T02:04:14","date_gmt":"2016-07-29T06:04:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging21.finca.org\/uncategorized-en-ca\/5-questions-for-finca-haiti-ceo"},"modified":"2023-05-15T21:55:26","modified_gmt":"2023-05-16T01:55:26","slug":"5-questions-for-finca-haiti-ceo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finca.org\/en-ca\/5-questions-for-finca-haiti-ceo","title":{"rendered":"5 Questions for FINCA Haiti\u2019s CEO"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marie Marcelle Saint Gilles Gerard isn\u2019t just the CEO of FINCA Haiti. She is also a model of leadership for her staff, her colleagues and the thousands of women she serves in the country. With extensive banking and microfinance experience, Marcelle has grown FINCA Haiti from just under 1,000 clients in 2010 to over 37,000 clients in 2016.<\/p>\n

In the first of this interview series, FINCA talks to Marcelle about poverty in Haiti, providing financial services to Haitian mothers and entrepreneurs and inspiring women to achieve their dreams.<\/p>\n

1. Why do you think providing access to financial services is important in Haiti?<\/h3>\n

The major reason why so many Haitian people are unemployed is because the government has not been able to create enough job opportunities or to support the population with the basic services necessary for its survival, such as health, education, social allocation. To survive and take care of itself, the Haitian population must turn to creating their own small businesses.<\/p>\n

In Haiti, the traditional bank system is not designed for low-income people. The microfinance system is the best structure to support the Haitian people in their efforts to alleviate poverty through their very small businesses. Microfinance is much more available to them, more flexible in their collateral request, and provides financial products specifically designed for low-income populations.<\/p>\n

2. FINCA Haiti\u2019s clients are over 80% women. As a strategy to fight poverty, why has FINCA Haiti focused so much on providing financial services to women?<\/h3>\n

Supporting women in order to fight poverty is a strategy chosen by FINCA Haiti for several reasons. In Haiti the woman is the most important person in the family who determines the future of the children because of her devotion to her family. Women are frequently alone to take care of their children. Our focus on creating brighter futures makes it necessary to financially support Haitian women. Haitian women are also the pillar of the economy.<\/p>\n

Therefore, by financing women we extend our reach and impact to the children.<\/p>\n

Marie Marcelle Saint Gilles Gerard with a client in Haiti.Marie Marcelle Saint Gilles Gerard with a client in Haiti.<\/p>\n

\"FINCA