About Us | EGI:Haiti

: EGI Class of 2008

EGI is a “Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Development” in Haiti that will provide the managers and entrepreneurs needed to develop sustainable economic growth and meaningful employment.

We will do this by providing access to (1) business education, (2) mentoring and (3) access to finance.

Click here to view the latest EGI slide deck which explains our operations in detail.

History

EGI began its first operations in 2005 working with graduates of Louverture Cleary School (LCS)—a top rated secondary boarding school for underprivileged but academically talented students. From the beginning EGI had the goal of creating jobs in Haiti through development of formal Haitian-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SME).

: Stephen with LCS external affairs staff

The idea for EGI first came from Patrick Moynihan, director of LCS and president of the Haitian Project, and was further developed by Stephen Keppel, EGI’s current Executive Director. After spending most of 2003-04 as an English and Sport teacher Stephen returned to Haiti as Director of LCS’s Office of External Affairs with the task, among other things, of finding jobs and scholarships for LCS graduates. In the aftermath of the ouster of President Jean Bertrand Aristide in March 2004, Stephen was determined to return to Haiti and be a part of the rebuilding process. Haiti’s economy was at a standstill and the security situation was precarious. For every LCS graduate placed in a job five more seemed to turn up looking for work. The situation was desperate and Stephen began helping a few unemployed LCS graduates with business plans, putting his degree in Business Administration from Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business to good use.

: Satinfo, one of EGI’s first businesses

Given the impressive talents and experience of some graduates, Stephen and Patrick began to put the pieces together for EGI. They were able to use a network of contacts with established entrepreneurs in Port-au-Prince, developed through LCS job-placement program, to create the outline of program that would provide training, mentoring and financing to young Haitians with the appropriate aptitude and skills. Patrick Brun, one of Port-au-Prince’s foremost social entrepreneurs, was quick to join in. With the guidance of both Patricks EGI was officially established as a US non-profit in September 2006. In 2006-07 key board members were recruited and the first training program was started.

In recent years the contributions from supporters and particularly board members (in the US and Haiti) has been overwhelming. Around 30 Haitians have participated in the training program, the mentor program is up and running, a number of businesses have been created and we are in the process of obtaining financing for a first group of businesses.

Current EGI Leadership

Stephen Keppel, Executive Director and Co-Founder

Stephen Keppel co-founded EGI in 2005/06 and he is currently overseeing EGI’s organizational development and activities in Haiti as Executive Director and board member. Stephen has a passion for social entrepreneurship and has developed an expertise in Latin America as a development economist, political analyst and writer. Since starting EGI, Stephen has also worked as a project manager and consultant on projects involving business development, education and energy in Latin America and the Caribbean. From 2008-11 he was an Editor/Economist for the Economist Intelligence Unit in London. He is currently the Economic News Editor for Univision in Miami. Stephen has participated in Economist Conferences, written articles for the Economist magazine and edited and presented research for the president of the Dominican Republic and other governments. He also contributes to BBC television and radio programs as a Latin American analyst.

Stephen holds an MA in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and has a degree in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame.

Patrick Brun, Chairman Fondation EGI

Patrick has been involved with EGI since its inception and is currently the chairman of Fondation EGI, EGI’s non-profit entity in Haiti. Patrick has run a successful business in Port-au-Prince for the past twenty years and is also the Chairman of the Haitian Project. Patrick is one of Haiti’s leading social entrepreneurs and he is currently helping to organize the Haitian Business Community and set up a system to finance EGI businesses.