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September 2013
CHES NEWS
Your support and our hard work paid off!

Greetings from the President
I can't express in words the gratitude that I feel when I think of how far we've come on the journey we embarked upon over five years ago. Thank you for your support and faith in us. Because of you, this year CHES has realized the first of many business start-ups in Haiti, a food depot named Pwodwi Lakay (PWOL). "Pwodwi Lakay" means products from home.  Our deepest thanks to our friends at Jubilee Christian Church (JCC) and Universite Chretien du Nord d'Haiti (UCNH), organizations that maintained a serious commitment to our work in Haiti. It hasn't been easy but it's all been worth it! I look forward to seeing what else we will do together!

Sincerely,   

Rebecca Obounou 
Our Trip to Haiti - The Startup of Pwodwi Lakay (PWOL), the Food Depot

Seven volunteers in total, including the first lady and senior pastor, Mona

Thompson,

CHES Workshops Marketing
Watch a Clip: Marketing Workshop

and executive pastor, Chris  

Sumner, of Jubilee Christian Church donated a week to travel to Haiti with CHES to serve. They helped teach and run training workshops for these women entrepreneurs. The workshops included:  

  • Business Planning,  
  • Food Hygiene,  
  • Sales and Marketing and 
  • Mock Sales Pitching.  

 

This business was registered at local government offices. The university UCNH generously provided CHES a place to host the workshops free of charge. Proper contracts were endorsed and notarized before the inaugural event that marked the end of the week. The US volunteers as well as CHES Haiti branch volunteers also helped prep the food depot for the launch event. Prep work included cleaning, painting and decorating. At the inaugural event, local members of the community attended and tasted delicious food made with the products PWOL is offering. Attendees also had the chance to ask questions and hear from CHES US as well as the entrepreneurs.  

 

In addition to completing our objectives for the trip, CHES also helped in different  ways while in Haiti. CHES helped Vanessa Pierre raise funds and transport 100 book bags for school children. CHES volunteers also donated snacks and water for 150 children in vacation bible school. The volunteers also took pictures of school children and provided them prints of their photos. School materials and printed photographs are often very difficult for most school children to obtain. To see more, view this short picture slide show below.

CHES 2013 Summer Trip Slide Show
CHES 2013 Summer Trip Slide Show

 

Though the week in Haiti was a success on many dimensions, the work doesn't stop there. CHES has been maintaining constant contact with the entrepreneurs. CHES is ensuring that these women's momentum doesn't fizzle but rather continues. In six months PWOL will begin sending CHES official bi-annual business reports.

 

 

Don't stop the support!

We continue to need you. With the creation of PWOL and CHES' continued search of entrepreneurs like that of PWOL, CHES is setting up its first office in Limbe Haiti. We currently have two rooms leased thanks to the generosity of Jubilee Christian Church. We have a lot of work to do including:  

  • Putting in an extra entrance,  
  • A/C units,  
  • desktops,  
  • desks, Donate 
  • chairs, 
  • WiFi,  
  • a generator  
  • a copier
  • printers
  • a laminator

Just a few small things! We believe in adding value in whatever we do.The office space will serve as space that will not only host CHES Haiti but also entrepreneurs with whom CHES work. CHES is committed to making available resources that will facilitate entrepreneurs to meet our stringent grant requirements. Reliable electricity, and WiFi signal is unheard of in Limbe. Access to a working computer and or printer is often very difficult for many people in Limbe CHES aims to provide that in this new space. We estimate the cost to be $15,000 and we won't be able to do it without you!

Support us With Your Purchase!
We will continue to have available the beautiful scarves with which many of you have fallen in love. We will also keep our shelves stocked with the lustrous, organic Haitian-made Kreyol Essence hair and beauty products that many of you can't get enough of! We're also pleased to offer you yet another must have item! CHES is happy to announce yet another new partnership with Eneji Pwop! Eneji Pwop delivers cleaner and more efficient energy products to Haiti. You can now purchase solar powered lamps for a family member, a friend, or as a donation to someone in Haiti through CHES! The lamps will be delivered to your friend or family or someone in need in Haiti. Many students study at night by dangerous kerosene gas lamps. CHES wants to provide a lighting substitute to students this upcoming holiday. We will distribute any lamps purchased for donations to students in Northern Haiti.

Please watch out for our Facebook and email announcements about the events at which we will have vending tables in the coming months. Feel free to contact us between events if you need something sooner info@chesinternational.org and 617-299-0564
 
We Need PEOPLE!
We clearly have our work cut out for us here at CHES and we made a lot happen with a few dedicated people! We need a few more dedicated people to even out the workload. We are a relaxed fun group of informal people that get stuff done (and done right) in very flexible, collaborative and innovative ways. We are looking for:
  • A secretary
  • Treasurer
  • and a Board Member 
CHES often needs extra hands at vending tables. We are looking for people who are willing to go on our call list for vending events. Vending events normally occur during weeknights or weekends. CHES also offers for-credit opportunities and unpaid internship opportunities for college students as well.

If you are interested in learning more about CHES, join us at our next meeting on Saturday, September 21, 2013. Please feel free to email resumes or any other questions to president@chesinternational.org or call 617-299-0564 (we pick up)!
 
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