Haitian Partners for Christian
Development (HPCD)
Haitian Partners for Christian Development (HPCD) began in 1999
when three entrepreneurs were inspired to eradicate poverty through
job creation. At a Partners Worldwide conference “Business
as a Calling”, in Grand Rapids, MI, hundreds of businesspeople
from nearly every continent gathered to share their newfound view
on their important role in developing countries. Three entrepreneurs
from Haiti, Sylvie Theard (Co-founder of ITALA Pasta), Ralph Edmond
(Co-founder of Laboratoires Farmatrix), and Ernso Jean-Louis (Co-founder
of Red Star Market), realized the important role they need to play
in Haiti.
In January 2000, HPCD officially launched at Ritz Kinam Hotel in
Petionville, Haiti. Haitian entrepreneurs, representatives of Partners
Worldwide, several organizations of the Haitian business sector,
and the public media attended. By the end of the day, a new association
of Haitian entrepreneurs held the value of sharing what they have—skills,
expertise, and resources—in order to eradicate poverty through
the creation of sustainable jobs for people of every class.
From 2000-2001, in a small rented office, HPCD volu nteers provided
business training to small entrepreneurs with emphasis on marketing
strategies, packaging, and product quality control. Yet, HPCD soon
recognized that each entrepreneur in training experienced the same
challenge—a strong potential for growth, yet little to no
resources available in production space, electricity, water, training,
and management. The shared solution was to put entrepreneurs under
the same roof, a common space needed to expand businesses in a sustainable
way.
The concept of business incubation began, yet HPCD faced the challenge
of finding an affordable project site in the industrial park of
Port-au-Prince. However, in 2002, HPCD founder Sylvie Theard offered
a building just across the road from her own factory. The first
HPCD incubator was born.
As more businesspeople learned about HPCD, they too caught a glimpse
of the larger purpose of business growth within Haiti. As an association
of experienced businesspeople and entrepreneurs, the network of
HPCD also expanded.
Haitian Partners for Christian Development
170 Autoroute de Delmas, Delmas 28 enface Delmas 9
Port Au Prince, Haiti, HT 6120
Telephone:
HPCD: 509-2940-0619
Ernso Jean-Louis: 509-3602-7928
Christina Jean-Louis: 509-3142-3716
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