Clinton Foundation Vice Chair Chelsea Clinton and President Donna Shalala concluded a trip to visit Foundation efforts that are supporting the development and growth of the Haitian agriculture, health, and business sectors, as well as women’s entrepreneurship.
After a successful pilot of the Chakipi distribution enterprise with 110 Haitian female entrepreneurs, the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership (CGEP) announced plans to scale nationally. Modelled off of the Chakipi program in Peru, CGEP’s Haitian distribution enterprise will close the market gap by enabling female entrepreneurs from the community to be part of a door-to-door sales distribution network. Overall, this model helps to create jobs for women in the community while also providing access to low-cost, basic household products.
While in Haiti, Chelsea Clinton took over the Clinton Foundation’s Instagram, sharing her unique perspective on the Foundation’s work in Haiti and how #ActionIsGreater through partnership and collaboration. In addition, the Clinton Foundation launched a new Haiti microsite spotlighting the Foundation’s work, unique models, and programs.
The Clinton Foundation’s innovative philanthropic model shows that action is greater when different partners are able to collectively approach critical challenges, such as fostering sustainable economic development with a shared goal of increasing opportunities for girls and women. In Haiti, this includes helping to raise emergency relief funds; providing grants to local organizations; developing commercially-viable renewable energy projects; and creating partnerships between public, private, and nonprofit organizations.
Since 2010, the Clinton Foundation has helped raise more than $30 million for Haiti, including relief funds and projects that are focused on supporting Haiti’s small and medium businesses; improving livelihoods; enhancing education; and exploring the nexus of agriculture, energy, and the environment. Today, the Clinton Foundation focuses on creating sustainable economic growth in the priority sectors of energy, tourism, agriculture, and artisans/manufacturing.
Additionally, through the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, CGI members have made more than 100 Commitments to Action focused on Haiti, which will be valued over $500 million when fully funded and implemented. Now in its seventh year, CGI’s Haiti Action Network has a significant focus on creating sustainable jobs and encouraging investment in the country.
