After a devastating earthquake at the end of the summer, Incofin helps ACME setting up a mobile agency to ensure contined operations in the affected areas. In that way the Haitian microfinance provider can serve its clients who have now the biggest needs for financial services.

The people of Haiti have not been spared, the past three years: political instability, social protests, economic crisis, natural disasters, Covid-19. On top of that, on August 14th, an earthquake of a 7.2 magnitude rocked the country in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea.

Microfinance institution ACME mainly focuses on microloans to small traders in rural areas, which is important in a country with poor infrastructure. Incofin cvso has built a long-term relationship with ACME, being one of its shareholders since 2009.

Despite all the challenges of the last three years, ACME has been able to maintain the size of the portfolio and operations have remained open with an apparent normality. And has, yet again, to show resilience after another setback.

On August 14^th, Haiti was rocked by an earthquake of a magnitude 7.2. The death toll has grown to over 2,200 people. More than 50,000 houses have been destroyed, including schools, hospitals and markets, leaving people without homes and much needed supplies. The aftermath of the quake was only made worse by the tropical storm Grace that swept across southern Haiti three days later. The heavy rain caused misery for people who had been sleeping in the streets in tents or under plastic sheets, unable to return home after their homes got destroyed. Many of the shelters people had made, were torn apart by the winds.

Relief efforts had to be started up in a very unstable political landscape that turned to near anarchy after the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse one month before the earthquake struck. Truck hijackings and other unchecked gang activity, crowded and damaged roads have hamstrung the flow of humanitarian aid.

In these extremely hard circumstances, ACME is doing everything to ensure the continuity of its operations. In its affected agencies, most activities are performed remotely through calls and direct visits to clients. In addition, ACME is willing to set up two mobile agencies in the departments of South and Grand’Anse. Those agencies are containers, built out of trucks, composed of several spaces, which allow ACME’s staff to welcome clients and keep the operations up and running. Technical Assistance funds coming from Incofin cvso supported ACME to acquire one truck and to purchase the necessary IT equipment.

Deputy Regional Manager Lia Gonzalez explains Incofin’s commitment: “In over 10 years we have been working with ACME, there hasn’t been a challenge nor crisis that this institution has not successfully overcome. The courage and resilience of the managers, collaborators and partners is worth all of our admiration and respect. Despite the circumstances, ACME’s commitment to keep supporting its clientele remains unharmed. We worked together to develop mobile agencies supported by the Technical Assistance Facility of Incofin cvso to make sure ACME could ensure its continued operation and closeness to micro-entrepreneurs when they need it the most.”