Haiti Forest Initiative

Join a roundtable of Philanthropic Lenders and

Donors dedicated to transforming Haiti
An innovative venture by Yunus Social Business
Supported by Virgin Unite, The Clinton Foundation
and the Government of Haiti
Potential Impact by Year 10
Yunus Social Business (YSB) presents a unique opportunity
in Haiti to create a model that combines both the power
of business and the entrepreneurial talents of the Haitian
people to restore Haitis tree cover.
Become a part of an exclusive group of supporters of the
Haiti Forest Initiative, joining Sir Richard Branson, The
Clinton Foundation and Professor Yunus
Work with YSB, an organization with initiatives in 7
countries, that has supported over 200 entrepreneurs and
created and sustained over 800 jobs since it was founded
in 2011
Join the launch dinner for the Haiti Forest Roundtable in
September 2014 in NYC, as well as a guided trip to Haiti
with YSB at the end of 2015.
Im very excited about Virgin Unites investment in the Haiti
Forest initiative. I truly believe that our entrepreneurial
approach can not only help reforest Haiti but will also support
Haitian farmers in building sustainable businesses and, in the
long term, more resilient communities.
- Sir Richard Branson
yearly revenue for
all businesses
trees planted
annually
hectares restored

The main focus of the Haiti Forest Initiative is to establish
a sustainable business ecosystem that will give local
communities economic incentives to plant and protect
trees, simultaneously addressing the interconnected issues
of poverty, food insecurity, energy and deforestation.
This initiative will identify, incubate and nance a set of
complementary agroforestry social businesses in St Michel
de lAttalaye, a commune of the Artibonite Region in Haiti.
To do this, YSB is seeking kick-start capital of $4.6 million.
78% Haitian population
living below the poverty line
2% Forest cover
remaining in Haiti today
farmers with increased
livelihoods
additional (non-farming)
jobs created
$4 million+
1,000,000+
1,000
4,000+
200+
Nikanne
These entrepreneurs are
agronomists with many years
of experience in St Michel de
lAttalaye.
Their social business, Nikanne
will focus on the production
and commercialization
of fruit-based baby food
produced locally in Haiti.
The entrepreneurs will
purchase fruits from local
farmers. At the same time they
will set up nurseries to help
with planting fruit trees.
Help break the cycle of deforestation and poverty
Deforestation is both a result of and one of the major causes
perpetuating Poverty in Haiti.
Impact of deforestation on Haitis biosphere Self-perpetuating cycle of poverty and deforestation
Traditionally focused on tree planting, reforestation approaches in Haiti have been ineffective.
Over the past 20 years, close to 100 million trees were planted, but trees 10 to 20 meters high
continue to be cut down each year. The poor living in rural areas are mostly responsible for
this because they cannot afford to buy rewood when living below subsistence level, further
demonstrating that the issues of poverty and deforestation need to be addressed in parallel.
Soil Erosion
Landslide
Flood
In 1923, 60% of Haiti was covered
by forests. Trees protect the
impact of tropical storms, prevent
soil erosion and regulate the
water cycle.
Without the forests, topsoil is
easily removed by the rain water
running down the mountainside,
and is deposited in rivers, lakes
and bays. Farmers are left with
less fertile soil. Decreased
inltration results in reduction of
water resources.
Roots
bind
the soil
Haiti Forest Initiative
Need to
access new
arable land
Need for fuel
with no alternative
energy source
Need to repay
debts
Intensive Logging
Low-yield
harvests
Low-income for
farmers
Extreme poverty
Low quality soil
Soil erosion
1,600 t/ha of arable
land is lost to soil
erosion each year
Fewer trees to
retain soil and bring
nutrients
Deforestation
Yunus Social Business (YSB) Haiti will
facilitate the creation and management of
a nancially sustainable ecosystem that
comprises of complementary and locally-
owned agroforestry businesses
YSB Haiti will select, incubate and nance
5 to 8 social businesses including the
following:
An agro-excellence centre
(tree nursery, tools, training)
Agroforestry production (orchards,
fuelwood trees, coffee) crop types were
selected to maximize value, based on
market assessment and learning from
past initiatives
Product transformation
(jams, oils, baby food)
Sales and distribution
Alternative energy
Pilot site in Saint Michel de lAttalaye
(Central Plateau) was selected from nine
potential sites due to its potential for
reforestation, having a large pool of local
entrepreneurs, crop diversity, and access to
markets and services
Once this model is proven to work, it can
then be replicated across Haiti
A new approach that unlocks
the economic value of trees
Planned social business ecosystem
in St. Michel dAttalaye
Centrally coordinated ecosystem
Incubation & development
of businesses
Soft loans
Technical services
Impact measurement
Haiti Forest Initiative
Alt. 1300m
Alt. 1000m
To Markets
Alt. 600m
1. Agro-Excellence Centre
2. Agroforestry Production
(fruit trees, fuelwood trees, coffee)
3. Collection Centre
4. Transformation
5. Sales & Distribution
6. Alternative Energy Sources
7. Protected Forest Area
Overview of the
Financial Structure
Set-up within YSB Haiti and registered within Haiti
YSB Haiti receives both donations and loans
YSB Haitis Fund provides soft loans to carefully selected social businesses
Social businesses receive incubation, business development and technical services that are all funded by
grant capital
Loans are repaid by the social businesses into the fund; and the interest is reinvested
Philanthropic lenders receive repayments of the principal but no interest earnings
Haiti Forest Initiative
Get in touch for more details and ways you can get involved:
Teddy Sun
Partnerships and Communications
+49 69 90 55 90 30 / +49 163 715 9921
teddy.sun@yunussb.com
Sophie Eisenmann,
Co-Founder & CFO
+49 69 905 59031 / +49 172 6791738
sophie.eisenmann@yunussb.com
Clementine Lalande,
Head of Investments Haiti
+509 2944 6422 / +509 4890 5682
clementine.lalande@yunussb.com
$4.6m
Total nance required to set up and develop the
ecosystem in St. Michel
$2.3m
Soft loan
nance
Loan fund
Direct loans to 5 to 8 agroforestry business
Capital is lent in stages over 7 years in the form of
unsecured loans
Social businesses repay the loans at 8 to 10% annual
interest over 20 years, where 50% of the total loan
value is paid after Year 10
Philanthropic lenders will receive principal
repayments in instalments after Year 10 with
an option to reinvest
$1.2m
Grant
Capital
Development and Management Services
(comparable to 20% avg. annual management fee)
Ecosystem set-up, development of partnerships,
governance, loan fund management
Incubation and business development services to
individual businesses
Design, monitoring and evaluation of social and
environmental impact
$1.1m
Technical assistance outsourced to specialist
organizations
Tree planting, sustainable agricultural practices and
reforestation
YSB Haiti YSB Haiti Fund
Haiti Forest
Social Businesses
Donations
Investments
YSB Funds gUG (Germany)*
Donations:
100% Grants
50% Donation:
Grants
50% Patient Capital:
Interest-free loan
Soft Loans:
at 8-10% interest
Donations:
Alsotobe usedfor
operational costs supporting
Haiti Forest Initiatives
incubationservices
Haiti Forest Technical
Assistance Providers
Philanthropic Lenders and Donors for
the Haiti Forest Initiative