Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Y4B work in Haiti?
Y4B works in southern Haiti near Les Cayas. Schools are located in Les Cayes, Chantal, Savanette, Berreaud, Ducis, and Torbeck.​​​
How many schools are there? Are they public or private?
There are currently ten schools; three are public and seven are private. Over 80% of schools in Haiti are private and require fees to attend. Public schools are free, but students must apply to get in and it is very hard to do so.
How many dedicated Haitian educators and businesspeople are involved?
There are currently four part-time staff, one assistant (a previous student who is now an intern) plus one board member on the ground in Haiti; in the US, there are five people on a board of directors. Currently Y4B has eight teachers. The teachers are required to have their own business so that they have experience. Also, the Haitian President and Director of Y4B, Coicy Francky, has his own business.
How many students are involved with Y4B in a school year?
For the 2024-2025 school year, there are over 500 students taking the Y4B course. The course meets once a week for the school year.
The Y4B website refers to a "19-lesson plan curriculum". Is that indicative of the number of hours of instruction each student receives?
Approximately, however some lessons are more than one hour. Originally written by Grove City College business faculty and students, the curriculum has been updated and modified over time by educators and businesspeople in the US to adapt to time constraints and feedback from the teachers and the Haitian director, Coicy Francky.
What topics does the curriculum cover?
Here is an outline of the Y4B curriculum (19 lessons):
1) Entrepreneurship Basics
1) Intro to Business/Entrepreneurship
2) Steps in starting a business
3) Estimating Business Costs
4) Work skills that Earn Respect A
5) Work Skills that Earn Respect B
6) Basic Business Plan A
7) Basic Business Plan B
2) Your Surroundings
8) Marketing
9) Pricing
10) Customer Service
3) Financials
11) Keeping a Ledger- Transaction Records
12) Balance Sheet (very simple)
13) Income statement (very simple)
14) How to Plan (financially)
15) Savings, Borrowing and Insurance
4) Big Picture
16) Inventory Management
17) Managing your business and your employees
18) Communication
19) Business Ethics
What is the success rate of Y4B graduates becoming entrepreneurs?
Alumni tracking is difficult to capture for business schools in the US, and in Haiti it is even more so. There are many success stories, and Y4B attempts to document and share as many of these as possible. The curriculum is helpful for all students because it covers basic financial management and these concepts may be applied personally.
What is your approximate annual budget and where do donations go?
Y4B is 501(c)(3) certified and currently has an annual budget of just over $25,000. Except for small expenses in the US, such as having a website and paying for bank transfers to Haiti, donations go directly to Haiti. No one in the US, including anyone on the board of directors, receives any financial support. Funding for Y4B comes only from supporters and not from grants or outside agencies. Y4B is a gold star member of Candid which provides financial transparency for non-profit businesses.
What does Y4B specifically need additional funds for?
Funding goes towards salaries, logistics, materials for the classroom, and emergency community needs. Currently there is a need to stabilize donations so commitments to schools can be consistent. If Y4B received additional funds, then the program could expand to more schools.
How does Y4B respond to natural disasters or community needs?
Y4B's Haitian director, Coicy Francky, makes the needs known and the US board of directors confirms, votes on, and raises funds. Coicy coordinates the response in Haiti.