Willbes in Haiti

completed

Through this project, IFC is looking to support the expansion plan of The Willbes Haitian S.A (“the Company”), the Haiti-based subsidiary of a leading South-Korean ready-made apparel producer. The Willbes Haitian S.A. currently was established in 2001 and operates out of the Haitian State owned SONAPI industrial park in Port-au-Prince assembling apparel product, employing approximately 1,740 workers, mostly uneducated women. The Project would create around an additional 1,000 jobs. IFC proposes will support the Company’s investment program which includes the expansion of its existing sewing facility. This expansion will help the Company and Haitian workers benefit from the opportunity presented by the HELP Act which grants Haitian apparel duty-free entry to the United States and allows apparel factories flexible use of third-country materials in production (expiring 2020).