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Zoia | San Diego, CA

Apr 14, 2026 | California, Featured News/ Events, Women Stories

The Sweet Success of EnjoyFruitRolls

When Zoia and Konstantin arrived in the United States in January 2023 with their four children—two sets of twins—they were fleeing the war in their native Ukraine. Their journey was more than a relocation; they had lost everything familiar and now faced the challenges of a new country, a new language, and unfamiliar systems. Throughout these difficulties, they understood the importance of rebuilding stability, pursuing self-sufficiency, and upholding a family tradition rooted in love, health, and creativity.

As a devoted parent, Zoia was committed to providing their children with healthy, natural, nourishing snacks that were sugar-free and free of added preservatives. This dedication led her to make homemade fruit roll-ups from simple, whole ingredients. Soon, she wanted to share her creations with others, and this straightforward recipe, originally made for their children, became the foundation of her small business, EnjoyFruitRolls.

Zoia’s dedication to capturing the flavor and goodness of real fruit in every bite. She was offered an entrepreneurial opportunity in her new country, but the path ahead was uncertain. Building a food business in a new country meant navigating unfamiliar systems, regulations, and language barriers. By July 2024, Zoia had a clear vision of selling her fruit rolls at a local farmers’ market, but she did not know how to obtain the required permits or where to begin. She reached out to the IRC’s Small Business Development Center (IRC SBDC) in San Diego and was introduced to Small Business Development Counselor Hanna Rico. Zoia and the counselor collaborated to map out each step of the food business start-up process.

Through one-on-one technical assistance, the Small Business Development Advisor helped Zoia with business registration, licensing, and health compliance requirements. She identified training opportunities with the County of San Diego and helped Zoia schedule and attend the required training. Access to capital was another challenge Zoia faced. To address this, Zoia was among the 21 Ukrainian women who participated in the IRC WE STAR Program BWIA cohort in August 2024. After successfully completing the 5-week program, she received a $200 seed grant to cover her business registration and other startup costs. In September 2024, Zoia passed her home kitchen inspection and received a Class B Cottage Food Operations Permit from San Diego County, allowing her to start her EnjoyFruitRolls business. Committed to growing her business, Zoia continued to access IRC’s WE STAR one-on-one technical assistance and training sessions to support her expansion beyond the startup phase. Through one-on-one technical assistance, Zoia obtained trademark registration for her business name and planned a transition from a sole proprietorship to an S Corporation.

 By early 2025, EnjoyFruitRolls had grown into a thriving family business. Zoia and her husband, Konstantin, sold at multiple farmers’ markets across San Diego, and by April 2025, their gross sales had exceeded $20,000. Soon, Zoia’s fruit roll business became the family’s primary source of income, allowing Zoia and her husband to work full-time on the business to meet increasing demand. As sales continued to grow, the family began preparing to transition from a home kitchen to a commercial kitchen. In September 2025, with continued support from the IRC SBDC, Zoia qualified for a $20,000 loan to purchase commercial equipment and scale operations. In December 2025, Zoia reported gross sales revenue of $160,000 for 2025. As a next step, she is exploring government contracting opportunities to further expand the business once the commercial kitchen is fully established.  

Zoia said, “We are so grateful for programs like the IRC Small Business Program and the IRC BWIA Program in San Diego that support small businesses like ours. Even with very little English, we were able to obtain the necessary permits and access local markets. Step by step, we are building a business that supports our family and brings joy to others. Today, EnjoyFruitRolls is a proud local favorite and a reflection of steady progress from uncertainty to stability. Each batch is handcrafted in small quantities from fresh fruit using a slow, low-temperature process that preserves flavor and nutrients. With a strong foundation in place and clear plans for expansion, Zoia and Konstantin continue advancing their original mission, building a sustainable future for their family, and contributing to the local economy.” 

Empowerment Through Opportunity: How ESTIMA Is Transforming Lives in Tijuana

Mar 18, 2026 | Featured News/ Events, News

At Women’s Empowerment International, we believe that when women are given the tools, support, and opportunity to grow, entire communities are transformed. We are proud to support programs like ESTIMA, which was launched as a research project led by Dr. Elizabeth Reed and program implemented by Los Niños de Baja California, under the leadership of Elisa Sabatini, to test the effects of integrating microfinance with health education for women engaged in sex work in Tijuana. These women are particularly vulnerable to poverty, adverse health outcomes, and violence. Results from this study were recently published in Advances in Global Health. Participants reported increased financial stability, improved health behaviors, reduced substance use, and greater confidence in advocating for themselves. Just as importantly, the program created a safe, supportive environment where women could share their experiences, build trust, and uplift one another—something many had never experienced before due to stigma.

WE grants funded the microfinance and economic empowerment elements of this program and have enabled ESTIMA to continue running years after the research funding had ended.

Special thank you to Winifred Cox, WE Co-Founder and PR Maven, for her work drafting the news release below and reaching out to press, along with Dr. Reed and Elisa Sabatini.

RESEARCH FINDINGS
👉 Explore the full study here: https://online.ucpress.edu/agh/article/4/1/2481129/212500/A-qualitative-evaluation-of-a-gender-equity-and

PRESS
KPBS: https://www.kpbs.org/news/health/2026/03/11/microfinance-program-improves-health-and-stability-for-sex-workers-in-tijuana-sdsu-study-finds
👉 More to come… Stay tuned!

* NEWS RELEASE *

Microfinance combined with health information shows multiple benefits for female sex workers in Tijuana, Mexico

A three-year, university-led study suggests that integrating microfinance with health education promotes economic empowerment and reduces HIV-related risks among women engaging in sex work in Tijuana, Mexico.

The study is among the first to show that this economic empowerment model also helps participants reduce their drug and alcohol use and increase their savings.
The study, Empowerment of Sex Workers to Increase Economic and Social Mobility (ESTIMA), published in Advances in Global Health, was led by Elizabeth Reed, ScD, MPH, Professor of Global Health at San Diego State University, in collaboration with researchers at the University of California San Diego. The intervention was implemented by Los Niños de Baja California, a community development organization serving Tijuana and other border communities in Mexico, under the leadership of Executive Director Elisa Sabatini.

Female sex workers (FSW) participating in the study reported that ESTIMA increased their financial stability, self-appreciation, social support, recognition of their rights as women, and ability to negotiate decreased substance use and increased condom use with their clients.

Reed said, “Our findings from the ESTIMA program are incredibly encouraging. Women not only reported that they valued and enjoyed the intervention, but we also documented meaningful improvements across health, social, and economic outcomes. Perhaps most striking—even after the research funding ended—ESTIMA groups have continued for another eight years and have been managed for over a decade by Los Niños. This is a testament to the study’s real-world relevance and impact.”

Sabatini noted, “The women reported being valued and honored for their contributions in their groups. Truly the program honors the name ESTIMA—Spanish for self-esteem.”

Participants were recruited from Tijuana bars, brothels, hotels, and street venues. Aged eighteen or older, they reported having exchanged sex for money, drugs, shelter or goods within the previous 30 days. One hundred and twenty women were randomly assigned to either receive the intervention or a wait-list control group. Control participants were invited to join ESTIMA groups at the study’s conclusion.

Decreased HIV risk
Alcohol and drug use—often widespread within sex work venues—puts FSW at higher risk for HIV. The study noted, “Our findings highlighted several ways in which ESTIMA may have reduced risk for HIV, including reports of decreased substance use as well as improved condom negotiation with clients.”

Participants reported that improved financial security and greater awareness of their rights increased their ability to negotiate condom use and refuse client demands that heightened the women’s risk of violence.

Members reported “I feel more sure of myself… because I’ve learned a lot of things here about how to take care of myself.” And “It’s not like before, that, well everything was rough, violence, or things like that.”

The study included in-depth interviews with twenty-five participants to assess their program experiences, and how ESTIMA affected their lives. Interviewees were, on average, 37 years old with 2.4 dependent children. Sixty-six percent were single, 21 percent married, and 13 percent separated or divorced.

Importance of access to business loans and training
Because most Tijuana sex workers cannot get commercial business loans, funding from Women’s Empowerment International (WE), enabled the FSW to start or expand businesses such as selling handmade crafts and food, and reselling clothing and jewelry. WE has provided loan support since the program’s inception.
Each ESTIMA member received an initial $200 business or personal loan, which she repaid over four months during weekly group meetings. With each repayment, members became eligible for larger loans, capping at $1,000.

Meeting topics included budgets, savings, credit, investments, and business practices. Topics also included gender equity, and the connection between sex work and HIV, gender-based violence and substance use.

Impact of individual loans and small groups
Traditionally, microfinance participants meet in large groups and are collectively responsible for the group’s loan repayment. This model did not work for FSW participating in the pilot studies. But when the groups were downsized to five, and members became individually responsible for their loans, repayment rates went from 50% to 90%.

Poverty and economic vulnerability among Tijuana’s female sex workers
Launching this study in Tijuana–one of the busiest land border crossings in the world–captured the poverty commonly experienced by sex workers worldwide. Sex tourism from the US and Mexico flourishes in Tijuana’s red-light district, Zonas Rojas, where approximately 9,000 women practice quasi-legal prostitution.
Economic vulnerability stemming from inequitable access to education, employment, and child support, is a major factor contributing to women’s involvement in sex work. FSW are among Tijuana’s highest risk populations for HIV and report high rates of physical and sexual violence perpetrated by clients, police, and male partners.

Link to study: https://doi.org/10.1525/agh.2025.2481129
Contact Information:
Dr. Elizabeth Reed, Principal Investigator
Elisa Sabatini, Executive Director, Los Niños de Baja California | Los Niños is celebrating 50 years of work in the border region: www.losninosdebaja.org
Sarah Adams, Executive Director, Women’s Empowerment International (WE)  |  San Diego-based WE has awarded nearly $3 million in grants to microfinance, business development, financial literacy, and holistic empowerment projects in 10 countries: www.womenempowerment.org.
Media Contact: Winifred Cox

 

Tribute to Rosemary Straley

Jan 29, 2026 | Featured News/ Events

Tribute to Rosemary Straley

We are saddened to share the passing of Rosemary Straley, a visionary leader, advisor and inspiration to many, and dear supporter of Women’s Empowerment International. Rosemary’s life was defined by service, a passion for education and politics, and a deep commitment to lift up women into leadership roles, especially elected offices.

Rosemary’s accomplishments and purpose-driven life can hardly be summarized in a few paragraphs. This just begins to skim the surface of her incredible work and contributions.

Rosemary proudly earned degrees from Stanford and Harvard, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and became one of the first women to be a Peace Corps Country Director in Cameroon. Her career in international development and education planning took her to over 150 countries and included projects with UNESCO, World Bank, UNDP, UNICEF, USAID, and the U.S. Trade & Development Program.

Throughout her education and career, Rosemary often found herself as one of the first women to enter a program or hold a leadership role, and she became committed to lifting up women and opening opportunities for them to lead. She has led and supported well over 20 organizations in San Diego and nationwide, including co-founding a local organization, Run Women Run, that played a role in electing over 120 women to public office at every level of government. She led a local working group for the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to pass a countywide ordinance. She also served as a volunteer National Coordinator of the Hillary Rodham Clinton Support Network.

Rosemary was honored with WE’s first Woman of Empowerment award in 2018 for her dedication to achieving equity for girls and women and advancing women’s leadership.

Rosemary attributed her commitment to philanthropy and service to her parents, who also taught the power each person holds to inspire others to give. She also held a quote from President John F. Kennedy, who founded the Peace Corps, close to her heart: “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” She had this quote on a magnet on her refrigerator and was quoted as saying, “That’s what guides me every day.”

Rosemary, you will be deeply missed, but we carry on your legacy.

If you would like to share thoughts or stories of Rosemary, please email Sarah Adams, WE Executive Director, at SarahAdams@womenempowerment.org.

New Development Coordinator: Sophie Pauken

Jan 16, 2026 | Featured News/ Events, News

Welcome New Development Coordinator: Sophie Pauken

Sophie Pauken is an international development professional with five years of experience managing multi-million-dollar, USAID-funded programs across the Middle East, South Asia, and East Africa. Her work focuses on providing the operational backbone for complex global initiatives, including program implementation, compliance, finance, and contract administration, in support of sectors such as WASH and primary education.

Prior to joining WE, Sophie served as a Program Manager at Chemonics International within the East and Southern Africa Department, where she managed a $45 million USAID-funded WASH program in Ethiopia. In this role, she worked closely with donors, field teams, and partners to ensure strong operational performance and program delivery in complex environments.

Earlier in her career, Sophie worked at Winrock International as a Senior Associate on the Human Rights, Education, and Women’s Empowerment team. There, she supported programs focused on ending child labor and expanding access to primary education for girls across multiple country contexts. Her work required close coordination with field offices and international partners to support implementation in fragile and resource-constrained settings.

Sophie has lived and worked in Lebanon, Ethiopia, Morocco, Tunisia, and Bangladesh, experiences that continue to shape her commitment to serving underserved communities. She believes deeply that everyone deserves the right to a safe, dignified, and poverty-free life and brings this values-driven approach to her work at WE.

Sophie lives in San Diego, California, with her husband and their rescue puppy. Outside of work, she enjoys training for half marathons, triathlons, and HYROX races, spending time outdoors, and reading. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies, with a concentration in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies, from Miami University.

Woman of Empowerment 2025: Rosette Garcia – Inspiring Remarks

Nov 13, 2025 | Featured News/ Events

Woman of Empowerment 2025

Meet our 2025 Woman of Empowerment Honoree, Rosette Garcia — a leader whose journey reflects courage, purpose, and the power of lifting others. During our Empowered WE Rise celebration, Rosette delivered a heartfelt speech that moved the room and reminded us why women like her are at the core of our mission.

Her message centered on the idea that meaningful change happens when we come together –– that it’s the small, collective actions of many that create the biggest impact.

Below are passages of Rosette’s inspiring remarks, a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we unite for a shared purpose.

“I want to thank someone who isn’t here—my dad who kept coming to mind as I was planning my remarks. And particularly something that he always used to say to me—and my siblings–when we were kids. We’d have done something we shouldn’t have—say missed a curfew, and in explaining the misdeed I might say, Dad, I couldn’t help it. Sorry. And my father –who was a gentle but real figure of authority–would gently rebuke me, saying,  you can help it. Don’t tell me you can’t help it. You can always help it.

That phrase, you can always help it, and his refusal to accept that excuse taught me a lot. I learned that claiming futility or powerlessness was not an excuse. I still hear that voice—often– telling me that I can help it—that I can do something. His words come to me not just when I’m running late, even as I offer an excuse. I know that I could have helped it; I just should have left earlier, planned better! But I also hear them when I’m confronted with things in the world that just aren’t okay—that aren’t fair. What if I –if we– can help it?” 

I don’t think he meant that I could help alleviate poverty, as WE set out to do. Or ensure women’s right to bodily autonomy. Or guarantee justice and equality. But I have always found it difficult to do nothing when I see something that is unfair, unjust. It’s so obvious when injustices occur and equally obvious what fairness would look like. And it seems to me that we should demand it—no excuses, no I can’t help it. So, my dad’s gentle admonishment, you can help it, reminds me that futility is not the answer and it subtly nudges me to do something.

I met many women and visited several communities where our funds have improved lives, but beyond that WE funds have given these young women a reason to hope and dream and have ambitions. I think of Carla, the 25 year-old young woman who was able to start a small grocery store in her living room with a $200 loan funded by WE, who told us of her dreams to own a real supermarket one day. It could happen!

The power of this organization lies not just in its mission, but in their belief that women are the drivers behind change—when you help a woman, you help not only her, but her family and her community, improving many lives in the process. I’m a long-time believer in the power of women and I’ve poured a lot of my energies into ensuring women and girls enjoy fairness and freedom.  

Certainly, when we think about the many, profound problems we are facing, so many that seem to be going in the wrong direction, it is easy to feel powerless and wonder if our efforts are futile. I’d like to quote Dorothy Day, the amazing early 20th century social justice activist, who pondered this same question. She said, “What can one person do? What is the sense of our small effort?” Her response says it all:  “They cannot see that we can only lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time.” 

She (DD) reminds us that change doesn’t happen in one fell swoop, but slowly, excruciatingly slowly. I look out and I see a room of people, all who are making one “small effort” that is leading to lasting change. Who are taking that one step, laying that one brick. Who are undaunted by the magnitude of the challenges and continue to show up.”

Volunteer Spotlight: Jan and Julie

Nov 13, 2025 | Featured News/ Events, News, Volunteer and Board Spotlight, Volunteer Spotlight

Volunteer Spotlight

This year the Board selected Jan Hamilton and Julie Hocking as our Volunteers of the Year for the North County Philanthropy Council Volunteer Awards program. Each NCPC member is able to select a volunteer (or two) each year as their Volunteer of the Year, who is recognized at a special annual celebration.

Jan Hamilton is a long-time volunteer with WE, serving as Asst. Secretary, performing key duties that keep our organization running and donor database in order. She knows many (if not nearly all!) of our donors and plays a vital role in strengthening those relationships. She is a warm, friendly face at our events with her passion for the mission shining through.

“As I was ending my administrative career in 2011, I was looking for something to “retire to.”  An on-line search of women-centered San Diego organizations turned up WE. At my first volunteer welcome meeting I was inspired by WE’s leaders and their dedication to improving women’s lives through microfinance and to educating others about the significant need. They diligently vet organizations providing services and loans to deserving women, tirelessly monitor the administration and impact of their gifts, including by in-person visits to their partners around the world.

In 2012 WE gave me the opportunity to visit their microfinance partner in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. I met dozens of brave women who, with their loans from GDLF, were working hard to establish businesses and improve the lives of their children and families. The loan officers were enthusiastic and dedicated to the community. It was inspiring to see how a small initial loan grows and grows as it is paid and repaid again to numerous women.

I am grateful to be a small part of the administrative team of WE. In return for donating my time and treasure, I receive multifold inspiration and optimism, friendship and support from these smart, warm-hearted women and men, who truly believe that improving the lives of women will change the world.”

Julie Hocking is long-time volunteer with WE, serving as Asst. Treasurer (and Interim Treasurer through multiple transitions), working with diligence to keep our books in order and organization running. She brings her compassion, expertise, and dedication to all she does, approaching her service with a spirit of partnership and heart-felt focus on the mission.

“My journey with Women’s Empowerment International (WE) began in 2011 when a colleague invited me to an International Women’s Day celebration at UCSD. I had long been passionate about the life-changing potential of microloans for women, and I was immediately drawn to WE’s mission. At the event, I signed up for volunteer opportunities and began my role as Assistant Treasurer, a position I’ve held ever since.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of participating in several site visits to WE partner organizations, which deepened my connection to the work. One such visit took me to Grameen de la Frontera in central western Mexico, where I witnessed firsthand the impact of WE’s loans on women’s lives. I had the honor of meeting women who, through the support of WE, were able to start and expand small businesses. One story that stood out was that of two sisters who ran a bread-baking business and later grew flowers to meet the demand for Dia de los Muertos celebrations. Their vibrant garden, buzzing with butterflies and bees, was a symbol of growth and resilience.

Most recently, I visited a partner program in Tijuana that supports refugee women with safe housing and small business development. Connecting with these women and hearing their stories reaffirmed my belief in the power of WE’s mission to uplift women from poverty and empower them to change their futures.

Volunteering with WE has enriched my life in countless ways. The opportunity to contribute both my time and financial support has been incredibly rewarding, knowing that my efforts are helping create lasting change for women. It is an honor to be part of an organization that uplifts and empowers women, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to make a difference.”

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