t h e i f u p dat e / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2
the if
update
in
this
issue
top story
if foundation celebrates
10th anniversary
project updates
Poultry Farm in Thibeau
Rice Project, Dawhenyah
client spotlight
Tante Da, President of Famn Davwe
Women’s Commerce
10
years
celebrating
o f d e v e lo p m e n t, o p p o r t u n i t y & h o p e
2002 to 2012
This ye ar i would like To
o invi
inviT e you To
o com e wi
wiTh us
as w e c e le braT e our 1 0 Th anniversary.
on a
journey
to m iovino, fo under
This is a journey that started a decade ago in New York and has now become a
lifelong commitment of empowering families in the developing world to create
their own pathway out of poverty. In 2002 when the Iovino Family Foundation was created, I had no idea that during the next 10 years we would evolve
into the iF Foundation, an international non-profit organization with a focus on
global economic development.
c o n t i n u e d o n pa g e 2
t h e i f u p dat e / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2
Worldwide, over one billion people live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than one dollar a day.
Poverty in the developing world
goes beyond a family’s income. It
means having to walk more than
a mile every day in search of clean
water and suffering from diseases that were eradicated from
wealthier countries years ago.
You cannot change the world,
but you can empower families to
improve their own circumstances
and have a positive impact on local economies. You can make the
shift from being concerned about
the problem to taking action and
being part of the solution. Poverty
describes an economic condition
it does not describe a person’s
worth.
Economic conditions can be improved through job opportunity.
When you ask people in the developing world what they want
most of all, it is really not any different from what you and I want—
an opportunity to earn a living and
to be given a chance to lead a life
of dignity. By partnering with the
iF Foundation you can replace the
short term benefit of charity with
a long-term sustainable investment solution that will provide
families with the tools they need
to earn a better livelihood.
members of the women’s commerce group “fanm devwe”
jean michel, haiti
join us as we implement our compelling vision for change and lead the journey to alleviate the root causes of global poverty.
As a partner with the iF Foundation, you too will be providing dignity, not charity to families in the developing world.
the
evolution of the if foundation
2006
2005
the seed is planted to shift
focus from local philanthropic
endeavors to working in rural
communities throughout the
developing world
if begins focusing on
economic development in haiti.
a partnership with Ghana
is formed and nine borehole
wells in the sefwi wiaso
district are under way.
clean water projects are implemented
in bangladesh, nicaragua, haiti,
ethiopia, tanzania, zimbabwe, ghana
and the sudan.
evolution of the if foundation
if sets it sight on northern
haiti to begin community
development work. we learn
that what is needed most
of all is job creation.
2008
20 economic
development projects
in Haiti are created.
in ghana the borehole
wells are completed
and five economic
development projects
are now a reality.
evolution of the if foundation
2009
World Vets travels to haiti to
assist with if animal
husbandry projects and the
first if foundation volunteer
program in haiti emerges
with 30 local volunteers.
2012
evolution of the if foundation
2010
2012
evolution of the if foundation
2011
the if foundation
the iovino family foundation
focuses on grantmaking
and supports local area
organizations
2004
founding of the
iovino family foundation
2003
2002
of the if foundation
2007
Evolution2002
economic
development
through job creation
continues in
haiti & ghana
With a new economic development mission in place,
the iF Foundation received a new name and new logo
t h e i f u p dat e / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2
project currently
u n d e r d e v e lo p m e n t
2. poultry farm, haiti
c u lt i vat i n g t h e r i c e f i e l d s i n g h a n a
project
updates:
1
2
1. rice project, ghana
In Ghana, rice is the primary
staple food source for a majority of the population. Imported
rice continues to be on the
increase, having a negative impact on the country’s economy
and on the local rice farming
communities. Many subsistence farmers in the developing
world cannot grow enough
food to sell or even to feed
their own families. Investing
in farmers can empower entire
communities to create a
pathway out of poverty.
Thanks to a partnership with
the iF Foundation, an experienced co-op of rice farmers in
Dawhenyah is now cultivating
land that for many years, lay
fallow due to lack of irrigation
and limited monetary resources. The iF Foundation
funded an initial no interest
loan to underwrite the cost of
a new irrigation and pumping
system along with the proper
equipment needed to grow rice
on 50 hectares of land. The
original loan to the farmers
was in the amount of $64,332
and to date, the farmers have
re-paid $18,508. This project is
providing a sustainable income
for over 800 rice farming
families and is empowering
local farmers to strengthen
their own economy while
maintaining the dignity of the
families. The farmers are now
growing, cultivating and selling
local Dawhenyah rice, which
is highly regarded in Ghana.
With continued hard work and
determination the farmers will
be able to expand their efforts
creating a healthier economy
and improved livelihoods.
donate now
Most of the chicken and eggs consumed
in Haiti is imported from the Dominican Republic. This directly impacts
the local economy and availability of
chicken and eggs in rural communities. In a continued commitment to
create jobs for local farming families
the iF Foundation is developing a small
scale poultry farm in Thibeau. The farm
is still in the development stage, but
promises to provide jobs for families
while strengthening the local economy
and providing a good source of protein.
The poultry farm plans to start with four
flocks of broilers and one flock of layers
per year and anticipates generating a
modest but steady profit. In the months
ahead the iF Foundation will bring
you more details on this exciting new
venture including photos from the field,
volunteer participation and collaborative efforts making the dream of
a poultry farm for Thibeau a reality.
donate now
wanT To know
MoRe abouT ouR
our
projects?
v i s i t w w w. i f - f o u n dat i o n . o r g
a n d f o l lo w u s o n fa c e b o o k !
t h e i f u p dat e / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2
At left, center wearing bright
pink—Tante Da, President of
Fanme Devwe
ClIenT sPoTlIgHT
Could you live on a dollar a day?
call to
action
women living in poverty face unique economic barriers in developing countries such as unequal property rights, low wages, bad working conditions and lack of access to capital. These conditions have
a direct impact on local communities and the livelihoods of families.
Investing in women is one way to battle the effects of poverty as demonstrated by Jacqueline, affectionately known as Tante Da (auntie
Da). Tante Da is President of Fanme Devwe, a women’s commerce
business supported by the iF Foundation. The concept is simple, but
the results are life changing. The women purchase staples like oil,
soap and rice in bulk from Cap Haitien and then re-sell to families in
their local communities. Tante
Da and her older sister aniolie
have been members of Fanme
Devwe since its inception in
May 2009. The 12 women meet
weekly at aniolie’s home in
st. Michel under Tante Da’s
leadership. before joining
Fanme Devwe, Tante Da and
her three children lived on less
than one dollar a day. The money she now earns is enabling
her to send all three children to
school. Tante Da is proof that
when women have access to
financial resources they invest
in their families first; spending
money on education, better
nutrition and healthcare.
megan relyea joins
the if foundation
staff in new york
Megan Relyea, a recent graduate of
Cazenovia College in New York joins
the iF Foundation in March as the
Associate Director of Development.
Megan will assist with developing and
implementing project, marketing and
fundraising ideas to further the Foundation’s mission. In addition, Megan
will collaborate with iF Foundation
Country Directors in Haiti and Ghana
to communicate field updates and future planning. Last summer, Megan
spent a month in Haiti as an intern
with the iF Foundation and found
herself returning to Thibeau this past
January. We are blessed to have Megan as part of the iF Foundation family.
calling all partners
Your partnership with the iF Foundation can play
a key role in creating job opportunity for families
living in rural Haiti and Ghana. The iF Foundation
develops partnerships to meet the goals of each
corporate donor while also meeting our mission
of creating sustainable economic opportunities
for the disadvantaged in the developing countries
of the world. We would like to extend our reach
in Haiti and Ghana—improving the lives of more
families through economic development. We
rely on you, our corporate partners to achieve
this goal. 100% of every dollar goes directly to
support economic development projects, so
join the
conversation
We need you to help us expand our reach in Haiti
and Ghana. By engaging your circle of friends in our
work you can help us expand our on-line community creating a greater awareness of our mission.
Connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter,
Tweet about our work and read our blogs. Sharing
and connecting information with your friends and
family is the surest way you can show support to
our partners in the developing world.
your company investment in the iF Foundation
impacts families who would otherwise not have
the chance to build a brighter future. Corporate
partnerships are diverse; ranging from an outright
gift to underwrite a project, a matching gift
campaign, an employee driven campaign and
even in-kind donations. For more information on
how your company can become involved please
contact Eileen Spencer at 718.554.2962 or
[email protected]. On behalf of our
community partners in the developing world,
thank you for your generous support and
commitment to improving the lives of others.
b oa r d m e m b e r s
Thomas Iovino
Judy Iovino
Lauren Iovino
Michael Iovino
Dale Okonow
s ta f f
The Rev. Canon James E. Byrum
Managing Director of the iF Foundation
718.554.2961
[email protected]
Eileen Spencer
Director of Development
718.554.2962
[email protected]
our mission & vision
The iF Foundation works to create sustainable
economic opportunities for the disadvantaged in
the developing countries of the world,enabling
and empowering the people living in these communities to create their own pathway out of poverty.
We envision a world in which all people have the
opportunity to evolve from operating out of day to day
necessity and survival into operating with a focus on
sustainability, growth and planning for the future.
donate to the if foundation now
Megan Relyea
Associate Director of Development
[email protected]
Edlyne Cange
Country Director, Haiti
[email protected]
Jean Magnus Regis
Country Director, Haiti
[email protected]
Isaiah Amissah Addison
Country Director, Ghana
[email protected]
if fou ndatio n
26- 15 u lme r st reet
college po in t n y 113 54
www.if-foundation.org