About BrandHaiti

About this Program

BrandHaiti originated as an IGL EMPOWER initiative from desire to transform the negative imaging, branding, and terms associated with Haiti as portrayed in the international media, the NGO community, daily conversation, and in Haiti itself. Firmly rooted in the conviction that Haitians are resilient, creative, capable, artisanal, and entrepreneurial, BrandHaiti launched an international marketing campaign to empower Haitians through challenging the patronizing discourse surrounding economic development of Haiti based upon charity, foreign aid, “cultural” incapacity,” and overall dependency. As such, BrandHaiti is built on the innovation, determination, and resiliency of the Haitian people. At the forefront of progress in Haiti is a rising class of social entrepreneurs and businesspersons dedicated to sustainable and, more importantly, equitable growth. These are the partners BrandHaiti seeks to engage and empower, whether they are small businesses looking to access credit and American markets, larger yet socially responsible companies aiming to expand and employ new workers, or small-scale store owners, artisans, and musicians pursuing their passions but still searching for meaningful opportunities.

Mission Statement

BrandHaiti is a student led non-profit business marketing organization that re-brands Haiti’s negative image through highlighting the country’s strengths and comparative advantages to foster pro-Haitian business investment and revitalize a non-exploitative economy. By partnering with multinational enterprises and Haitian entrepreneurs, BrandHaiti advertizes for local Haitian companies to increase consumer demand for “made in Haiti” products and facilitate long-term investment. BrandHaiti remains successful through its commitment to develop a sustainable market for Haitian products, which currently is weakened due to limited lobbying for these products and negative images of Haiti. With our network of entrepreneurs promoting commerce in Haiti, student ambassadors on campus mobilize their respective universities to promote, educate, and lobby on behalf of Haiti and its people.

We achieve this mission by taking the following concrete actions:

• Actively countering the negative stigma and imaging of Haiti in the foreign press and investment community by promoting success stories of Haitian business owners and investors, in addition to writing counter narratives to “a country of disaster.” Currently, BrandHaiti is producing a documentary detailing the challenges, opportunities, successes, and best practices already being implemented in Haitian businesses in order to re-brand the negative perceptions of a “stagnant and risky economy” in the country.
• Creating exchange programs and internships with our Haitian partners such that the needs of the Haitian business community are matched with the skills and passions of entrepreneurial students. • Along with the Institute for Global Leadership, hosting annual business symposia on Haiti at the Tufts Fletcher School of Diplomacy in Medford, MA in order to challenge students to critically think about solutions for economic development by confronting them with actual businesspersons, investors, and Haitians.
• Facilitating partnerships of young students in France, Canada, the US and Haiti with foreign investors, the current Haitian government, and local businesses to create a skilled, young, and dignified Haitian workforce.
• Implementing a BrandHaiti product line, which will directly empower small Haitian producers by connecting them with socially-conscious consumers.
• Offering alternate spring break programs on Haiti’s magnificent beach resorts to foreign students in order to stimulate the local economy while simultaneously allowing them to re-brand Haiti for themselves.