Partner Presentation | Lunch & Learn

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Join WE for a special (virtual) presentation with one of our first grant partners, International Rescue Committee (IRC) San Diego, and with Fonkoze in Haiti.

Date & Location:
Friday, February 23
12:00 – 1:00 PM
Via Zoom

Hear about organizational and community updates, as well as developments in WE-funded programs, including the WE STAR and Business Women in Action programs of IRC San Diego and Fonkoze’s Boutik Sante program. Both organizations support women entrepreneurs in under-resourced communities, providing key services and tools to grow and sustain their household income. Also interesting to note that IRC San Diego serves women in the local Haitian Creole community.

Hear about the impact of WE grants—and your donations—for women in San Diego and beyond!

Speakers

Dr. Erlantz Hyppolite, Fonkoze USA | Executive Director
Dr. Erlantz Hyppolite is a non-profit director with 10 years of management and technical experience leading local to national interventions and strategies in Haiti, in education, the arts, and health, most recently with the Artist’s Institute. Erlantz is a passionate cross-cultural communicator and advocate for Haitian culture, and he is fluent in French, Kreyol, and English. Dr. Hyppolite has 7 years of progressive executive leadership responsibility and strategy development, liaising with boards, donors (USAID, Global Fund, etc.), government entities, and implementing partners to guide the delivery of high-quality services in resource-limited settings. Dr. Hyppolite started his career as a Public Health expert in the Artibonite Valley working in primary health care, reproductive health, maternal and child health, nutrition and HIV/TB. Later he worked on case-based health surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation at a national level. And yes, he is a great-great-grandson of Florvil Hyppolite, Haitian president in the late 1800s, to whom he bears an strong resemblance. He lived in Haiti until mid-2020, and keeps strong connections to the country. Erlantz currently lives in Maryland with his wife and 2 children.

Irene Bwayo, MALM, IRC San Diego | IRC-SBDC Center Director | Small Business Development Program Supervisor
Irene Bwayo is a former refugee from Uganda who has spent over ten years working in the refugee community. She has worked both as a volunteer and a professional, gaining vast experience in the field. Currently, Irene is serving as a Small Business Program Supervisor. In her role, she leads a group of five business advisors and oversees four different programs. Before becoming a program supervisor, Irene worked as a Microenterprise Business Advisor, Senior Microenterprise Business advisor, and Microenterprise Program supervisor. During her tenure as a Microenterprise Business Advisor with the IRC San Diego office, Irene designed and developed a Business Women in Action (BWIA) program. You can find a quick spotlight on it here. In that role, Irene also provided one-on-one technical assistance to entrepreneurs to start and formalize their businesses. She assisted in business plan development, marketing, and access to capital.

Irene’s journey with the IRC in San Diego began eight years ago. She started as a Swahili interpreter and later moved to become a Community Health Promoter. As a Community Health Promoter, Irene worked in the Safety & Wellness Unit, promoting women’s health in refugee and immigrant communities. She conducted surveys on FGC and educated the community about the harmful effects of FGC on women.

Before joining the IRC San Diego, Irene worked as a Community Health Navigator with the United Women of East Africa in the greater San Diego area. She also worked as a Behavioral Support Specialist for Options for All, supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities to learn basic life skills and overcome challenging behaviors.

Irene holds a master’s degree from Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management in Applied Leadership Management. In addition to her academic and professional achievements, Irene is a fellow of the San Diego Leadership Alliance, Class of 2020 fellows, and a participant in IRC’s Harvard Compass leadership program in 2020.