ISOC Haiti, the Haitian chapter of the Internet Society, an international association that works for the global governance of the Internet, is relying on the mobile money revolution to fight poverty in Haiti.

The latest poverty survey (2012) informs that more than 6 million Haitians live below the poverty line with less than $2.41 per day, and more than 2.5 million have fallen below the extreme poverty line, having less than $1.23 per day. Smart Mom is this project aimed at training mothers vulnerable to poverty on the mobile money revolution in the commune of Cabaret because they deserve the adequate financial and digital knowledge to improve their living conditions. These mothers without a bank account will be financially supported so that they can relieve themselves of poverty and lovingly care for their children who represent the future of Haiti.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Developing countries are harnessing the widespread use of mobile phones and information and communication technologies (ICTs) to bring financial services to all people and enable them to move out of poverty because efforts to promote digital financial inclusion contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1 to eradicate poverty.

Digital financial services hold enormous potential to empower people previously without a bank account to the ability to save, make payments, and access credit and insurance offers, which will allow them to manage irregular income, plan for the future, recover from economic shocks and natural disasters, and find new livelihoods.

This Sunday, October 4, 2020, aware of the fact that COVID-19 has economic impacts and affects the most vulnerable in the commune of Cabaret, ISOC Haïti trained 20 mothers who do not have a bank account on the mobile money while giving them a small amount of money where they will have to make use of mobile money in their initiative to get out of poverty. For Mr. Obed Sindy, president of ISOC Haiti "It is a way to prove how with mobile money, we can reach the last kilometers and bring well-being in the lives of mothers and their children."

This project was carried out as part of Chapterthon 2020, an Internet Society global marathon showcasing creative, innovative and community impact activities.

HL/ HaitiLibre