Jovenel Moïse

Jovenel Moïse (born 26 June 1968) is a Haitian politician and businessman who is a candidate in the 2015 Haitian presidential election.

Early life and education

Moïse was born to a middle-class family in Trou-du-Nord, in Haiti's Northeast Department. He is the son of Etienne Moïse, a merchant, and Lucia Bruno, a clerk.

In July 1974, his family moved to Port-au-Prince, where he attended the Don Durélin National School, the Lycée Toussaint Louverture, and the Cultural Center of the Collège Canado-Haïtien. He studied political science at Université Quisqueya and married Martine Marie Etienne Joseph, a classmate, in 1996. That year, he left the capital and moved to Port-de-Paix with the goal of developing rural areas.

Business career

With little investment capital, Moïse created his first business in Port-de-Paix: JOMAR Auto Parts, still in operation today. He also set up a 10-hectare (25-acre) banana plantation in the Northwest Department.

Shortly after, he began a project to provide clean water to rural areas. In 2001, he partnered with Culligan, a company based in Port-au-Prince. With loans from financial institutions and individuals, he opened a water plant serving the Northwest and Northeast Departments.