Project Lead(s): Carine Roenen
Fonkoze’s network of micro-entrepreneurs will bring affordable, accessible, and reliable health products to up to 500,000 hard-to-reach people in rural Haiti thanks to new funding from Grand Challenges Canada and partners.
With the goal of improving the health of vulnerable hard-to-reach women and children, Fonkoze developed Boutik Sante (‘health shop’), a model for the delivery of essential health products and services in rural Haiti through female micro-entrepreneurs.
Fonkoze helps successful microcredit borrowers operate self-sustaining micro-businesses that deliver healthcare products and services to those lacking affordable and reliable access in rural areas. Micro-entrepreneurs are trained to communicate appropriate health information in association with the products they sell, promote increased and appropriate utilization of existing health services, and more.
As the largest microfinance institution in Haiti, Fonkoze is leveraging its existing client base of borrowers and vast infrastructure of branches and credit centres to scale efficiently and cost-effectively across rural Haiti.
Fonkoze has already trained 267 female micro-entrepreneurs who have helped deliver healthcare products to more than 8,000 people, including micronutrient supplements, iodized salt, sanitary pads, and contraceptives.
With renewed funding from Grand Challenges Canada and partners, Fonkoze aims to train 600 micro-entrepreneurs, reaching over 500,000 rural Haitians. By addressing child malnutrition, diarrhea,
7 mosquito-borne diseases, anemia and hypertension, the project aims to reduce morbidity among young children by 20 percent.
At full scale, Fonkoze hopes to engage 1,800 women entrepreneurs to start and run their health micro-enterprises.
Scaling Partners: Grand Challenges Canada; Healthy Entrepreneurs; Fonkoze USA; Cordaid Foundation; Columbia University.