HAITI / PRIVATE INDUSTRY

An industrial park in Haiti's Northeast is giving hope and salaries to more than 6,500 people and their families who are still recovering from the massive 2010 quake. WORLD BANK

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:03:00
• Production Date: 12 January 2012
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: WORLD BANK
• Subject Topical: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; FINANCING
• Geographic Subject: HAITI
• MAMS Id: U120112i

Description

STORY: HAITI / PRIVATE INDUSTRY
TRT: 3:00
SOURCE: WORLD BANK
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH / ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: DECEMBER 2011, OUANAMINTHE, HAITI

1. Wide shot, Rolande at home
2. Med shot, Rolande at home with daughter
3. Med shot, exterior, Rolande on bike
4. SOUNDBITE (French) Rolande Pericles, Coordinator:
“After being a sewing machine operator, I became a supervisor and now I am a coordinator.”
5. Med shot, Rolande with workers in garment manufacturing factory
6. Wide shot, Rolande inspecting in factory
7. Wide shot, exterior of factory
8. Wide shot, exterior of factory
9. Wide shot, interior of factory
10. Various shots, factory
11. Wide shot, manager with employee
12. Various shots, factory
13. Close up, jeans
14. Med shot, factory workers
15. Wide shot, boxes
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Blumberg, Codevi Sales Director:
“Lead times are short, we are just two days from Miami, the operators, the stamina and the quality that they have is outstanding, world class production.”
17. Wide shot, employees entering factory
18. Wide shot, clinic, exterior
19. Wide shot, nurse with patient
20. Wide shot, exterior of factory
21. Med shot, radio sign
22. Med shot, radio speaker
23. Various shots, disc jockey
24. Wide shot, Rolande with workers32
25. SOUNDBITE (French) Rolande Pericles, Coordinator
“The salary helps me take care of my home and my family.”
26. Wide shot, Jhonny working
27. Med shot, other worker
28. Med shot, Jhnny working
29. SOUNDBITE (French) Jhonny Orne, Mechanic In Training
“I spoke to an engineer, and he said no problem you work hard, and you know how to do it, and I will give you the possibility to be mechanic.”
30. Wide shot, Jhonny walking with girlfriend
31. Wide shot, on bike with girlfriend
32. Med shot, on bike with girlfriend

Storyline

Rolande Pericles says she had just finished her studies, but had little hope of finding work in her hometown in the north of Haiti, where she lives with her daughter and other extended family members.

Then Codevi opened nearby. She got a job as a seamstress there and has steadily climbed the ranks.

SOUNDBITE (French) Rolande Pericles, Coordinator:
“After being a sewing machine operator, I became a supervisor and now I am a coordinator.”

Rolande now works overseeing many of her colleagues producing trademark clothing at Codevi- an industrial park developed and run by the Dominican manufacturing company Grupo M.

The International Finance Corporation-the private sector arm of the World Bank Group- - has been a partner to Grupo M in helping develop and expand Codevi since 2003. The industrial park is providing 6500 desperately needed jobs in and around the economically depressed city of Ounaminthe on the Haitian/Dominican border.

Codevi employees make clothes ranging from jeans to lingerie. The brand-name clothing is shipped to foreign markets, which benefit from Haiti’s duty free exporter status.

SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Blumberg, Codevi Sales Director:
“Lead times are short, we are just two days from Miami, the operators, the stamina and the quality that they have is outstanding, world class production.”

Codevi has an active employees union-the only privately owned company in Haiti to have one- and Codevi workers have access to health and education benefits.

The manufacturing company houses a radio station for workers and the community at large, focusing on music, news and cultural programs.

And Codevi’s community outreach programs are helping upgrade neighboring areas, through financing projects like this one encouraging local school children to reforest.

Codevi employees start at minimum wage, but can work themselves up to more senior positions and higher salaries, like Rolande-the coordinator.

SOUNDBITE (French) Rolande Pericles, Coordinator:
“The salary helps me take care of my home and my family”

Jhonny Orne lost his job and livelihood in Port au Prince two years ago when the earthquake destroyed his welding shop. He moved north and started at Codevi as a sewing engineer.

SOUNDBITE (French) Jhonny Orne, Mechanic In Training:
“I spoke to an engineer, and he said no problem you work hard, and you know how to do it, and I will give you the possibility to be mechanic.”

He is now being trained to repair company sewing machines. He’ll soon make enough he says, to marry his girlfriend and help take care of the baby son and home they have together.