Though "names will never hurt me" They Are Still Very Powerful

Our efforts today, were focused on the administrative aspects of integrating new members into Fondespwa. Renee has spent yesterday afternoon and all of today inputting the profiles of the women into our data base. In addition, with Martine, our Loan Officer, they filled out the required information onto the member's passbooks and created the contracts. Each woman will be receiving a passbook, where her repayments and savings deposits will be signed by her Group Leader and Fondespwa's Loan Officer. This book, she must bring to all the biweekly meetings. In addition, we write up a contract that they must sign before they receive their loan which details all of our and their responsibilities. The third item we give the entrepreneurs is a laminated ID with their photo, their group name and their legal name. They love having those ID's. It gives them an identity, of belonging to a group, which is vitally important to Haitians as they are not isolationists. They love community, enjoy being together. They would prefer 10 people sleeping in a room versus being alone. Each woman is in a group of 5-7 and must choose a group name. They are pretty inspiring. God Almighty, Heads Together, Decided Women, Women Standing Up, Looking for the Life, Christ is Able, Women of Light, Women Facing Life, Patience, Flower of Hope, Warring Women (look out!), Let's Move Forward, Brilliant Women, Women Not Sitting, Committed Women, Victorious Women, and Energetic Women are just a sample of the names they have chosen among themselves. Names reflecting dignity and hope. That in essence is what Fondespwa is all about.