What is Fonkoze? Fonkoze is Haiti’s alternative bank for the organized poor. In fact, it
is a family of three institutions working together shoulder to shoulder
towards a single compelling mission: building the economic foundations
for democracy in Haiti by providing the rural poor with the tools they
need to lift themselves out of poverty. This mission is reflected in our
name, Fonkoze, which is an acronym for the Haitian Creole phrase
“Fondasyon Kole Zepòl” meaning “Shoulder-to-Shoulder Foundation.”
Chemen Lavi Miyò (CLM), or the Path to a Better Life, reaches out to
those on the margins of society. Throughout the 18-month program, case
managers support members as they learn to run small businesses, repair
their homes, and access health care and education services. Participants
develop both their capacity and their confidence until they have their
own functioning microenterprises.
So what does jewelry fabrication have to do with this? A good friend here in DC has been an advocate and strong supporter for Fonkoze, specifically their Chemen Lavi Miyò program. So after her and I had a little tête-à-tête, we both thought that a Jewelry Making Event would be a wonderful way to raise funds for the organization. As you can see, the guests had a wonderful time learning about jewelry fabrication and each participant created their own set(s) of earrings and personalized necklace!
A Path to a better Life...
