In April 2014, a group of Catalyzers traveled to Haiti to see and join in the work of Prosperity Catalyst. The following is a reflection by one of those Catalyzers, Dana Frost, on her time spent with the women of Fanm Limye.

Strip away your worldly treasures, adornments and daily props. Look into another woman’s eyes. You will see a reflection of yourself. We are the same, and we need one another. We are not meant to be islands of struggle or success.

The success or failure of one of us equals the success or failure of all of us.

That is why I went to Haiti to see the work of Prosperity Catalyst.

Our stories and silhouettes look different to the naked eye but sink into our hearts, and we are born from similar seeds.

To be seen.
To have a voice in the determination of our future.
To provide for our families food, sustenance, health care and productivity.
To be safe and unharmed from violence.
To be in mutually rewarding relationships.
To have meaning in our lives.
To enrich our talents.

I’ve lived on three continents and traveled to six. The feminine story is repeated across the globe in different contexts and cultures.

Step into the shoes of the women of Fanm Limye, and you will see women who want to create sustainable opportunity for themselves and their families. You will see women who have survived abusive relationships, financial ruin by partners, betrayal, mother nature’s torture and failed governmental policies. You will meet women who are resilient, courageous, dare to stare down danger, but also soft hearted and kind. You will meet women whose aroma says, “I want a future, and I’m willing to work for it.”

Sadly, marginalized women are easily taken advantage of by men and those wielding power. They suffer greater death during natural disasters. They are shuffled and uprooted during war. They are misused for the sexual pleasures of men. They go hungry to feed the bellies of their offspring. They are underrepresented in decision-making circles.

However, the world is waking up.

Global leaders recognize an investment in women is an investment in the future success of communities. According to UN Women’s research and the World Bank data, investing in women is a return investment in familial, community and country growth, well-being, independence and stability.

This is the sweet spot of Prosperity Catalyst and the primary reason I chose to be a Catalyzer.

Prosperity Catalyst’s investment in female entrepreneurship in Haiti is one piece of a larger puzzle of organizations working to improve the lives of women, thus families, communities and the country of Haiti.

While in Haiti, I witnessed how challenging and arduous it is to lift the work of Prosperity Catalyst off the ground. However, that which is worthy of our time and resources is rarely a stroll in the park. The strength and determination of Siiri, combined with the local support she has beautifully sewn together and the sheer will of the Fanm Limye women, form a solid contender and victor against the obstacles.

Our group was remarkably well received with hospitality, generosity and information-sharing from other groups working successfully in Haiti. I see this as a testament to Siiri’s leadership as she prepared the foundation of the organization locally.

Appropriate leadership lays the foundation for future success or failure, and I witnessed first hand that Siiri and the Prosperity Catalyst leadership team demonstrates necessary values and practices for successful outcomes.

To name a few:
Collaborating
Professionalism
Good stewardship of resources and people
Networking
Listening
Leading by serving

These qualities allow Prosperity Catalyst to be seen and experienced positively within the active Haitian community of social entrepreneurship. They are keys to success on the ground.

A financially empowered woman is key to the developing world. Prosperity Catalyst is one organization providing an opportunity for marginalized women to be skillfully, gainfully empowered.

Traveling to Haiti was an opportunity for me to be with other women, to see them, each one of them. It was an opportunity to see Siiri’s work personally, to see women who care about raising the standard of women outside their social circles and to see the women of Fanm Limye and Haiti.

Four days very well spent with eyes wide open.