Featured News/ Events | Women's Empowerment International

Orbe | Honduras

Jul 30, 2023 | Featured News/ Events, Honduras, Women Stories

In the last quarter of 2022, Adelante, a WE partner since 2007, conducted a comprehensive needs assessment and risk analysis to determine the feasibility of supporting more underserved communities in Honduras. As a result, they have identified 3-4 regions they plan to serve in 2023 and 2024 – our renewed grant will support this endeavor.

Orbe, a remarkable entrepreneur who owns a thriving pulperia in Honduras has benefited greatly from the WE grant. Starting her business in 2018, she took five loans over the past five years, investing in supplies, kitchen appliances, and refurbishing the place. As a single mom, Orbe is determined to provide her daughters with a better life and to show them the rewards of hard work and determination.

During the pandemic, Orbe faced challenges with restricted operating hours, affecting her sales. However, with her daughters’ help as they grew older, her business improved. Offering delicious treats like savory baleadas, pastelitos de carne, desayunos, almuerzos, sopas, refrescos, and topogigios (sweet frozen popsicles), Orbe’s pulperia has become a popular spot. The Adelante board of directors paid her a visit and witnessed her pride in the enterprise’s success, a result of Adelante’s microloans that allowed her to expand her offerings.

Orbe’s inspiring story reflects the impact of microloans made possible by generous supporters like Women’s Empowerment International. Their ongoing assistance makes a meaningful difference in the lives of countless women and their families, empowering them to pursue their dreams and build prosperous futures.

About Adelante:

Honduras continues to be the poorest country in Central America, with over 70% of the population living in poverty. Thanks to WE, Adelante has been able to advance their mission to empower women in Honduras to achieve economic self-sufficiency. WE funding contributes to their microfinance loan pool for women starting and growing their businesses, along with trainings and program expansion.

Isela | San Diego

Jul 30, 2023 | California, Featured News/ Events, Women Stories

Isela is a professional chef, entrepreneur, wife, and mother of three beautiful daughters. She has over 20 years of experience in the food and business industries in Colombia and the U.S. Isela came to the U.S. as a political asylee who fled her home in Cartagena due to the persecution by the government for her activism defending Black and Afro-descendant communities of Colombia. Isela was introduced to IRC resettlement services in February 2019 through the Survivors of the Torture program.

Once Isela was settled and ready to start her business, she was referred to IRC’s Small Business Development Center and the WE STAR Program, where she received one-on-one business counseling services. She was able to establish her business and access a $15,000 business loan to buy a food truck for her business. Isela sells at local farmers’ markets, supplies to local specialty grocers, and caters for special events. The company is now investing in a food trailer to develop a restaurant chain and become a staple for Colombian food.

About IRC San Diego:

IRC San Diego’s “WE STAR” Program recognizes entrepreneurship as a viable option for low-income, immigrant, and refugee women to achieve economic mobility and lift themselves out of poverty. Many of these women face obstacles to financial stability, including a lack of: access to linguistically- and culturally-appropriate services, formal education, transportation, access to financial capital, and familiarity with business customs and regulations in the US. With WE’s support, barriers are reduced for these women to open and operate a successful small business through training and workshops, 1:1 business counseling, business licensing assistance, access to microloans, and assistance with marketing and bookkeeping, as well as social and emotional wellness support.

Georgia | Uganda

Jul 30, 2023 | Featured News/ Events, Uganda, Women Stories

Meet Georgia K., a resilient 58-year-old widow from Burandami village in Uganda. She is the caregiver of her four grandchildren, aged between 7 months and 10 years, as her daughter left them to search for a job but then never returned. Despite facing adversity, Georgia found hope through a loan of 500,000UGX (~$139) from Nyaka’s Grandmother Program, supported by WE funds.

With this loan, Georgia invested in her long-cherished dream of starting a goat-keeping project. The goat she bought gave birth to twins twice, rapidly increasing her goat herd to five within a year. Georgia sold three goats and purchased a calf, which has grown into a healthy cow. The cow also gave birth to a calf, adding to her growing livestock.

Georgia’s ingenuity didn’t stop there. She strategically uses goat manure to enrich her vegetable garden and banana plantation, ensuring a steady supply of nutritious food for herself and her grandchildren. Moreover, she enjoys a regular income from milk sales, providing her grandchildren with fresh milk.

Thanks to the support of WE funds, Georgia’s standard of living has significantly improved, earning her admiration and respect within her community. With determination and hard work, she repaid her loan from the income generated by her milk sales and banana plantation.

Today, Georgia’s assets include five goats valued at 1,000,000UGX (~$278) and two cows worth 2,700,000UGX (~$750). Grateful to Nyaka and WE, she proclaims, “Because of the loan I received, I am able to provide for my grandchildren.”

Georgia is an active member of the Kanungu Southern Ward Granny Group, soon to graduate from receiving revolving funds from Nyaka, marking another milestone in her inspiring journey of empowerment.

About Nyaka:

Uganda continues to face challenges such as a fragile economy affected by the Ebola outbreak, violence, and harsh weather conditions, which also affected agriculture and food access. Nyaka works with communities to nurture and protect children, so they can learn, grow, and thrive. WE supports its Grandmother program, which assists in caregiving, subverting sexual-based violence, and helping the grannies increase their earnings through microloans and investments. With WE support, the number of grandmothers with access to microfinancing, trainings, and support increases each year. These grannies have increased their household income and the economic wellbeing of their grandchildren, kept the children in school, and increased their own financial literacy. For every $40 invested into a grandmother-led household, there is a 285% return on investment within 36 months.

Vivian | San Diego, CA

May 12, 2023 | California, Featured News/ Events, Our Impact Page, Women Stories

Vivian from San Diego, CA

Honoring a Local Mother and her Perseverance

Vivian is a Corpsmember and supervisor at Urban Corps of San Diego County, a WE grant partner since 2022. Urban Corps is a nonprofit, certified local conservation corps, and charter school, whose mission is to provide underserved young adults ages 18-26 the opportunity to expand their career opportunities through paid job training, support services and education.

Vivian joined Urban Corps a few years ago, after becoming a young mother and seeking opportunities for personal and professional growth. She graduated with her high school diploma in June 2022.

Currently, Vivian is working in the Environmental Department at Urban Corps, going to college in the evening to become a medical assistant, and taking care of her two young children. Her career goals are to get her foot in the door in the medical industry and further her education and training to become an ultrasound technician.

To successfully manage all the different aspects of her life, while living in a county with a challenging public transit system, Vivian needed a car. Through a pilot program funded by a WE grant, Urban Corps is able to provide vehicle down payment assistance for female Corpsmembers, setting them up for financial success and self-sufficiency after graduation. Vivian applied to this program and is proud to say she recently bought a car. She now doesn’t need to worry that the buses don’t run after her classes get out at night, and she happily reports that she can drive her children to school now.

Being a part of Urban Corps has empowered Vivian to strive for and reach her life goals like providing for her children, having a stable job, and working toward a career with greater opportunities. To her delight, Vivian will be graduating from her medical training soon and will continue to explore how she wants to develop her career.

Maria Aracely | El Salvador

May 8, 2023 | El Salvador, Featured News/ Events, Our Impact Page, Women Stories

Maria Aracely is a young, single, and resilient mother at the age of 22. She lives with her 3 year old son, Camilo, in the state of San Vicente in El Salvador. She participates in a family-centered program hosted by WE grant partner, OEF El Salvador, to learn about early child development and ensuring Camilo will grow up as a healthy child.

Maria Aracely heard about OEF’s inclusive loans, which WE has funded, and quickly asked for more information. She applied, was accepted into the program, and received a $200 to start up a business. María has began a business selling different kinds of clothes through social media and making home deliveries around her community.

In under a month, she has reached an income of $65, and she still has merchandise to continue with her business.

Maria says she is grateful for the opportunity, to WE, and to OEF and CrediManá, who have all made this possible for her. She sees and lives a new reality where she can now have a business, make a steady, reliable income, and take care of her child, all at once.

Dra. Dinorah Beatriz Sánchez de Flores, Executive Director of OEF, says of the women like Maria in their programs, “All these women are strong human beings who are trying to do their best pushed mainly by their children.”

Volunteer Spotlight: Judith Fullerton

Apr 20, 2023 | Featured News/ Events, Volunteer and Board Spotlight, Volunteer Spotlight

Volunteer Spotlight:
Judith Fullerton, PhD, CNM, FACNM
Lead Volunteer | Impact and Sustainability Project (WISE)

Tell us a little about your involvement with WE and how long you’ve been involved.
I joined the WE Board in 2017 and served one 3-year term on the Board of Directors. I then transitioned to volunteer status, carrying on with the role of leader of the impact and sustainability project that I introduced during my term of Board service.
What drew you to WE?
Dr. Ruth Covell, with whom I had worked at UCSD, knew of my activities in the field of Monitoring and Evaluation. She suggested that I might explore ways in which I could introduce those quantitative skills to WE, to augment the qualitative measures that have been used by the Board over time to measure progress and effectiveness of WE project grant funding.
What has been the most rewarding part of volunteering with WE?
The opportunity to engage with individuals who are involved in WE at every level, from Board members through beneficiaries of project grant funds, are the reward.
Do you have any memorable experiences through your time with WE that you would like to share?
I have had the opportunity to work with two dynamic women as partners in the WISE project (Women’s Impact, Sustainability & Empowerment) project. Stefania Marcina and Luisa Veltmann Cano have been participants in the effort.
What is your favorite WE partner/project that we support, and why?
I have been very impressed with the work of Via International, and its dynamic leader Elisa Sabatini. They have produced huge results, working from a shoestring budget, and have maintained their efforts over many years.
When not volunteering with WE, how do you spend your time?
I closed my international consultant business in 2021, given that the pandemic did not offer any opportunity for country-based, on-the-ground, engagement in monitoring and evaluation activities. I sought new opportunities for local community service and have volunteered at the San Diego Food Bank since 2021. I also pursued a life-long interest in learning American Sign Language, and I am now in my 3rd year of study. I also do very complex needlework (counted cross-stitch, embroidery, needlepoint).
What has been a favorite book you’ve read recently?
My particular interest is in medieval mysteries, but I also enjoy contemporary works, particularly those that feature female authors and protagonists. Examples include the works of Margaret Frazer (The Dame Frevisse series) and Ellis Peters (The Brother Cadfael Chronicles). The works of Umberto Eco are also a favorite; particularly The Name of the Rose and Baudolino.
What is one of your favorite inspirational or motivational quotes?
I love the song by Lee Ann Womack “I Hope You Dance,” which is infused throughout with inspiration and hope….as example… “May you never take one single breath for granted…and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.”
Anything else you would like to share?
A special thanks to my two children and my grandchild for making great personal life choices, and going bowling with me!

Thank you, Judith, for your service to WE with projects that create impact for our organization, our supporters, and our grant partners!

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