Project profile — Support for Haitian Entrepreneurship

Among the results achieved as of March 2018: 1) Participating microbusinesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) have adopted better management practices, with coordination of actions with the non-financial services programs; strengthening of services offered by chambers of commerce, and implementation of a monitoring and feedback mechanism; 148 business plans prepared; 19 funding files completed; 118 technical support requests fulfilled; 7 technical support requests carried out for a total of 832 entrepreneurs; 2) Participating financial institutions offer financial products and services tailored to the needs of MSMEs: - 2 new financial products introduced in 4 participating financial institutions and rolled out in 3 departments; - 518 MSME loans granted, including 167 for women entrepreneurs; - opening of the financial centre for entrepreneurs; 3) Ministry of Trade and Industry has adopted measures fostering MSME development: - the salt project line was chosen with the signing of agreements and the creation of a local roundtable.

Among the results achieved as of March 2016: (1) 19 consultants have been trained in non-financial services and provide services through four chambers of commerce: Artibonite, South, Grande-Anse and the Chamber of Trades and Crafts of Haiti; (2) Seven contracts have been signed for non-financial services to enterprises. Some 20 contracts are under discussion, for an objective of 75 contracts signed by 2016 2017. The objective is to achieve 400 start-ups supported by providers of non-financial services; (3) A mechanism to provide support to women entrepreneurs has been set up to assist women’s organizations that will enable their members to receive support in the form of non-financial services through the project; (4) Three guidance plans and memorandums of understanding have been signed with financial institutions that are project partners: FINCA, SOCOLAVIM and CAPAJ; (5) The 2016 2018 business plan for the network of financial cooperatives known as Le Levier has been completed; (6) The planning for the new financial centre for entrepreneurs within Le Levier network was more clearly defined by the feasibility study; (7) Two product lines have been chosen by the project and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI): sea salt and clothing.