Empower Haitian Women at the first Haitian American Business Summit in Miami Dade

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others!”

This inspiring quote motivated Doudly Elius, despite his disability, to go far to Miami Dade, and represent the Empower Haitian Women organization in one of the most important business summit where he participated in a business panel and advocated for the integration of women with disabilities in the business sector. Empower Haitian Women organization aims to help women living with disabilities to overcome their financial barriers, to be professionally fit for the job market and to become independent financially. The goal is not only to develop business skills of Haitian women and girls with disabilities, but also to provide them opportunities as individuals and as a group to collaborate on business ideas.

Mr. Elius holds a great promise for the economic and financial future of Haitian women living with disabilities. In this context, he had the same aim as the Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce in Florida (HACCOF), in partnership with the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) and the Miami Dade County commissioner's office, who organized the first Haitian-American Business Summit (HABS2017) at the Florida International University in Florida, Miami Dade on June 15^th to 17^th, 2017.

HABS fulfilled its mission of being the catalyst to connecting the diaspora and diverse institutions in Haiti. Participants came from throughout the United States, Haiti and beyond, to connect, engage and discuss investment opportunities in Haiti, as Mr. Doudly Elius; the Empower Haitian Women Founder/General Secretary represented the organization there throughout various panel discussions entitled “CONNECT - ENGAGE – INVEST”.

During the first day, at the FIU Kovens Conference Center, Doudly discussed a very important and vital topic which is the barriers between generations and ways to eliminate those and institute a climate of cooperation for the good of the country. This panel entitled "Linking the millennials generation fromHaiti to that of the diaspora" welcomed Doudly as well as four others young speakers entrepreneurs: Marc Alain Boucicault (Elan-Haiti General Coordinator and Banj CEO); Stéphane Jean Baptiste (Kreyol Essence CEO); Sandra Florvella Pierre (CEO of Haitian Business) and Wanda Tima (L’unionsuite).

The four panelists made a great impact at the business summit and questions related to investment opportunities and obstacles were raised. Since his fight is about the economic inclusion of women with disabilities, the founder of Empower Haitian Women enlightened the audience about the business structures that are already setup in Haiti to receive and manage investments and stressed on the reasons why Haitian American investors should develop strategies to include this part of the population into the business sector.

From right to left,
Doudly Elius, Jn-Baptiste Stephane (Kreyol Essence CEO),
Sandra Florella Pierre (Haitian Business Rep), 
Marc Alain Bouscicault (Elan-Haiti and Banj CEO) 
and Wanda Tima (L'unionSuite)

Doudly Elius concluded his address at the Business Summit on Sustainable Development Goals by saying: “We need an inclusive economic development and support people living with disabilities if we want to reach the sustainable development objectives. The focus should also be on women as they are the foundation of Haiti's economic development.”

Florida International University, Miami Dade-Haitian-American young panelists at FIU conference room
June 16th, 2017