Daily Archives: 07/21/2010

(Community Matters)

Belated Happy Birthday Dear Friend

(Community Matters) Left my friends from Concern Worldwide this morning and joined new friends from Fonkoze.

Breakfast with their CEO Anne Hastings who I feel like I already knew from numerous telephone conversations and emails since the earthquake. Anne was quite upset by the devastation around our hotel.  The Montana was a popular new hotel, retail development just outside our doors.  It was completely flattened during the earthquake, including the loss of hundreds of guests – two Anne’s friends.  She hadn’t seen the site before today.

I didn’t know contracts for the heavy equipment stationed in Haiti were being held up because USAID hasn’t received Congressional approval yet.  While lots of rubble is still left, much has been removed through the cash for work programs & other funded contacts. Nevertheless, if what’s reported is the reason for the holdup, it’s pretty pathetic.

Anne noted that Concern has long been a major supporter of Fonkoze, especially funding their small credit programs in rural areas for the very poor.  We also discussed a Gates Foundation grant for mobile banking; I promised to connect her to Roy & Bertand Sosa as Fonkoze is in the process of evaluating mobile carrier options and technology.

Carine Roenen, until recently with Concern, is their new Foundation ED.  She picked me up for the day’s tour – another extraordinary day, literally over the mountains and through the river . . .

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