$45,000 grant went toward purchase of tents, IT supplies in aftermath of August earthquake

MADISON, Wis.—A $45,000 grant issued through Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions’ Project Storm Break program helped six Haitian credit unions get back to serving their members despite an August earthquake that caused major damage to their permanent structures.

Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions, the charitable and engagement arm of World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), administered the grant to Association Nationale des Caisses Populaires Haitiennes (ANACAPH), an affiliate member of WOCCU that represents 86 credit unions serving more than one million members in Haiti.

ANACAPH used the money to purchase, transport and distribute emergency tents, IT supplies and other operational equipment to the six credit unions located near the epicenter of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake, which struck August 21 in the southwest corner of Haiti’s Tiburon Peninsula.

Caisse Populaire Sainte Rose de Maniche (CPSRM), which lost four members in the earthquake and suffered major damage to its building, was able to restart operations soon after receiving the equipment from ANACAPH.

“We are operating in a tent on a school playground about 50 feet from our damaged building,” said Pierre Leon Etienne, General Manager of CPSRM. “Our members have expressed a tremendous amount of gratitude that we are able to provide services to them during this crisis.”

The CPSRM building is being evaluated for its structural integrity and relocation plans are underway.

“All the credit unions helped by this Project Storm Break grant have a long way to go before they fully recover from the earthquake, but we are thankful our efforts have helped them get back to the business of serving their members,” said Mike Reuter, Executive Director of Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions. “As assessments of the damage in Haiti continue, Worldwide Foundation will work with ANACAPH to determine a long-range relief campaign through Project Storm Break.”

Along with providing relief from several natural disasters, Project Storm Break funds have also been utilized to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Worldwide Foundation has worked with credit union associations around the world to deliver 70,000 masks and other types of personal protective equipment to credit unions in more than 30 countries.

Donations to replenish the Project Storm Break fund are appreciated and needed to sustain Worldwide Foundation’s relief efforts. Visit Worldwide Foundation’s Project Storm Break page to make a generous contribution.

World Council of Credit Unions is the global trade association and development platform for credit unions. World Council promotes the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. World Council advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Its technical assistance programs introduce new tools and technologies to strengthen credit unions’ financial performance and increase their outreach.

World Council has implemented 300+ technical assistance programs in 90 countries. Worldwide, 86,451 credit unions in 118 countries serve 375 million people. Learn more about World Council’s impact around the world at www.woccu.org.