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Did you know that when you shop for the holidays at smile.amazon.com/ch/26-2393491, AmazonSmile donates to The How Far Foundation, Inc.?

Our orphans in Goma, DR Congo are headed back to school!

Visiting howFar's Remote Jungle Churches

Recently Pastor John Mundola, who is howFar's Country Director for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, visited our remote jungle churches in eastern DR Congo.  Read his preliminary comments below.

"Hello Executive Director,The trip was too dangerous but God protected us through your praying. We went pastor BIHINGA from Bukavu in the remote parts of KAMITUGA where we did not have access to the net work to let you know what was going on. Sometimes I was afraid of being kidnapped as rebels used to do so in the neighboring villages from where we were. Thank you for your praying brother."

Calvarie Church - DR Congo

Sometimes crossing the so called bridges was a problem. In some forest it was dark yet it is the day."

Watch for the full story coming soon. howFar will you go?

One Week to Haitiworks.org!

One week from TODAY is the OFFICIAL launch of Haiti Works! This has truly been a labor of LOVE and we look forward to where God leads us with this business! 

(HINT: If you simply cannot wait until next Saturday to go shop with us, I've been told that you can shop the website right now!) 

Click Here to Shop!

www.haitiworks.org howFar will you go?

howFar Haiti Micro Loan Program

The unemployment rate in Haiti is around 80%.  Due to problems with corruption, lack of adequate infrastructure and civil unrest, most companies are reluctant to invest in Haiti.  Most of the people in Haiti are hard working and want to be self-sufficient.  Unemployment creates many problems for families.  The most glaring problem is that families are torn apart and children are often sent to orphanages due to the lack of income to feed and educate them.

“Every one of the women expressed that they were happy to participate and that they thank God for this opportunity.   Many who did not attend church before, or only did so occasionally, have a renewed faith that God cares for them and loves them!  Most of them attend church now and have a stronger faith because of this program!" Diane Moffi / Director howFar Haiti 

Because of these issues, howFar Foundation recognized that providing jobs for families would help keep families together and provide stability and basic necessities through a micro loan program.  In July 2017, howFar invested $1000.00 US in a micro loan program with Pastor Astrel Vincent in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  Pastor Vincent runs a church and several schools in a slum area called Cite Soleil.    

Participants are required to:

·      file an application containing information on what their intended business is

·      complete a series of classes that will assist them in running their businesses successfully

·      make enough money to support their families while paying back the loan

As participants repay their loans, that money is used to begin the process for the next family on the waiting list.  A committee of people from Pastor Vincent’s church manages the program with ample accountability built into the process.  During the first year of operation, we provided loans to 22 families, some of them returning to increase their businesses!  Due to the success of the first year, howFar invested another $1000.00 US in June 2018.

In December, our team met with 8 women currently participating in the program.  Each of the ladies shared their stories of how the program has improved their lives and how long they have been part of the program.  All of these women were thankful for the opportunity to provide for their families and were pleased with the program and the way it is administered.

 howFar Haiti Micro Loan participants (From left to right: Madam Erline; Madam Simone; Madam Venelus; Madam Yolen; Madam Mirose; Diane Moffi (back); Madam Widline; Madam Rose Marie; and Madam Dominique.)

Madam Mirose was the first one to share her story with us.  She has 2 children, one of whom is in school.  Her business is selling used clothing downtown and near her home.  She said that the program has allowed her to maintain a home for her family, provided food on a regular basis and is sending her younger child to school.  Additionally, Mdm Mirose is blind!  In Haiti people with disabilities are discriminated against and treated unfairly in society. The fact that she is succeeding in the program is amazing!  She has been participating in the program for almost one year and says that it has “changed her life”!

Madam Mirose

As of the time of our meeting in December 2018, the micro loan program has provided jobs to over 40 families.  There are currently 18 participants (actively repaying loans) and 5 applications in queue (waiting for the next round of funds and classes).  There is a 100% payback rate!  The businesses started include: selling food (rice, beans, oil, etc.), sheets and tablecloths, used clothing and women’s items:  shoes, perfume, bags, etc.  

howFar will you go?

Haiti Works - Arriving Ground Hog Day 2019

Diane Moffi / howFar Haiti Director

howFar Haiti would like to announce the creation of Haiti Works, a non-profit, online purchasing experience benefiting the howFar Haiti micro loan program and education in Haiti.

Haiti Works will offer hand-selected products made in Haiti and offer them for online purchase here in the US.  Proceeds from the sales go directly back to Haiti.

This is a WIN, WIN, WIN, WIN -

WIN:  the products purchased in Haiti give income to artisans making the products!

WIN:  the products purchased by people through Haiti Works bring beautiful handmade specialty pieces to their homes and increases their awareness of Haiti!!

WIN:  the proceeds from sales will help support the micro loan program, which will increase the number of families that can participate!!!

WIN:  the families participating in the micro-loan program will have financial security by earning a steady income, providing housing, food, education for their kids and the feeling of self-esteem!!!!

Ultimately, Haiti Works wants to sell a selection of beautiful hand-made products:  Jewelry; metal art; bags; pottery; greeting cards; coffee; vanilla and sea salt.   Each product we buy in Haiti and sell in the US brings much needed income to local artisans and workers.  While this is good and worthwhile, we also want to emphasize the beauty of Haiti and her people.  Haitians are hospitable, warm, friendly people who have an inconceivable amount of joy while most are living in desperate poverty.  We want to change poverty to prosperity one family at a time!

Many times parents are forced to make the tough decision to give their children to a local orphanage because they cannot financially care for them.  Some of the orphanages in Haiti are not run with the children’s best interest in mind.  Our micro loan program will help parents keep their families intact…children can grow up with their family, which is where they belong!!

Please keep Haiti Works in your prayers as we launch in February!  Pray for an abundance of buyers who want to do something good for someone else.  Pray for our artisans and workers in Haiti who make the products we will sell, that they will see the glory of God as He provides them with HOPE through you, our customers!  

www.haitiworks.org

Here’s a sampling of additional items available on February 2!

howFar Haiti Women

2018 Women’s Conferences

Diane Moffi - howFar Haiti Director

HowFar Haiti sponsored three women’s conferences in 2018. Conferences grew from the knowledge that more needed to be done in Haiti than just visiting orphanages and handing out food.  Family, leadership and women’s conferences have been sponsored for the last three years.  There’s an incredible desire for people in Haiti to learn.  The more they learn the more they can apply what they’ve learned to make their lives better. 

A Nurse Teachers Women About Nutrition

Part of the challenge of living in Haiti is the lack of education on nutrition and reliable means of birth control.  Many women bear the burden of being the head of their family by earning the living and caring for the family.

Attendee of the conference with her CycleBeads®

Our women’s conferences have reached over 500 women in 2018!  The agenda for each conference includes:  women’s health issues (blood pressure and diabetes management); resolving conflicts in marriage; family nutrition and natural birth control using CycleBeads®.  Haitian nurses and pastors teach at these conferences so that certain cultural concerns can be addressed and the ladies feel more comfortable.  Birth control is an important part of these conferences because unplanned children are very common, especially when the women are looking for ways to get food to feed their children.  Our goal is to prevent as many unplanned children as possible, which will hopefully result in fewer children being sent to orphanages.  Some husbands have attended the women’s conferences, which is really productive during the marriage conflict and birth control topics!

 

HowFar - Haiti Director, Diane Moffi, offering 

encouragement to the women at the latest conference 

in Onaville.

Each conference was held in different churches in the Port-au-Prince area.  The marriage conflict topic was taught by a pastor and based on Biblical principles for marriage.  Nutrition was taught by a nurse using food pyramid charts and medical information on which foods are better for their families.  The birth control topic was also taught by the nurse and included the use of CycleBeads®, which assist women to count which days they are most likely to get pregnant.  There’s also a teaching guide in Haitian Creole that is shared with the women in each conference. 

Donate to our work in Haiti at www.howFar.org. howFar will you go?