By Lisa Hochgraf
On April 21, my leader, CUES President/CEO Fred Johnson, visited Haiti under the auspices of the World Council of Credit Unions. Fred arrived about 8 a.m. and left before 5 p.m. You wouldn't think of Haiti as being a day trip. But these days, since there's no place to stay, visiting for a day is actually pretty common.
"It takes resiliency for the people of Haiti to keep getting up in the morning and moving forward," Fred told CUES employees at today's staff appreciation lunch. "Many schools are back in operation, for example, despite the housing situation, because Haitians value education. At one golf course, 80,000 people live in tents ranging from simple blue tarps to sturdier four-person tents like you would buy at a sporting goods store."
WOCCU Chairman Barry Jolete and CEO Pete Crear set a great example for all leaders who toil in under developed nations to better their citizens' lives. Fred also praised the work of the WOCCU leader in Haiti, Greta Greathouse, and her WOCCU team. Fred's own leadership helped facilitate the delivery of needed supplies via connections with U.S. military posted on the island--regular shipping channels are nearly impossible to use these days. The photo below shows from left: Fred, Greta, Pete, and Bill Cheney, CCD, president/CEO of the California/Nevada Credit Union League.
And credit unions are showing leadership, too. Talk about people helping people.
"CUs are making loans out of tents with armed guards present," Fred reported. "Some have 80 percent delinquency because members can't be located and often have no money if they can be. The standard of living was already very low and now people have even less."
Lisa Hochgraf is a CUES editor.
