Since 1994, Carinne has owned a small but profitable clothing business, buying used clothes and then selling them in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. This business came to a halt when the devastating earthquake hit in 2010. In an instant, her life changed. She lost everything, and one of her sons was seriously injured. Seeking medical care, she had to travel across the border to the Dominican Republic. When Carinne and her family returned home to Haiti, Carinne was able to quickly adapt to her new environment, which motivated her husband and two sons to do the same. The eldest was able to complete his law studies and the youngest is in 8th grade – great accomplishments that can largely be attributed to Carinne’s ability to nurture her family even during the toughest of times. “I dream of seeing them in high-level positions in the country,” she says.
Thanks to a micro-loan she received through Fonkoze’s Solidarity program, Carinne was able to restart her clothing business in 2015. Her tenacity, leadership skills, and management style also earned her the peer-elected position of Center Chief among other Fonkoze lending clients in her Solidarity Center.
When given the opportunity to join Fonkoze’s social enterprise health program Boutik Sante, a WE-funded program, Carinne did not hesitate. Selling over-the-counter health products and providing health services such as malnutrition screenings to her community brings her joy. “Assisting the people of the village is second nature to me,” she explains. Carinne operates her boutik sante (community health store) from her home, which allows her the flexibility to run her clothing business on the side and earn extra income.
Since receiving her first loan from Fonkoze, things have progressively gotten better for Carinne and her family, and she is proud of her accomplishments. She is now trying to help the women in her community start their own businesses so that they, too, can have an opportunity to prosper with dignity.
In 2021 alone, 207 CHEs were trained to open a boutik sante. All across the country, new and continuing CHEs provided improved access to health services and education for 250,000 households in rural communities. Just like Carrine, they are increasing their personal revenue, while giving back to their community, and Carrine continues to amplify that across her region, leading other women to do the same.
Amparo has lived in the Brisas del Sur neighborhood of Honduras for 50 years and has been baking bread most of her life. She is a newer microloan client of Adelante Foundation, a WE-funded grant partner. She has had her own business for seven years after working for others in their bakeries. She started as a packer in a bakery, working her way up to top baker. After 11 years of working for others, she decided to work for herself and was able to open her own bakery in 2015. She was determined to take this step and moved forward, and the profits are now better for her because it’s her own – and better, she confidently states – product.
In her business, she gets help from her sons, who are bakers now, too, just like her, continuing the tradition and growing the business as a family one. She has also hired someone from the local community to sell their products in the markets.
She learned about Adelante from a friend, who also participates in the loan program. With her loans, Amparo was able to build the roof on her bakery and buy equipment for the bread production, which enabled her to produce quality products in greater quantity. They now make an assortment of delicious breads and baked goods.
Amparo’s story is one of growth, courage, and empowerment, and she believes other women can create that story of success for themselves, too. To encourage other women, Amparo says, “Yes, you can do it! Us women can do it! And, we can do it on our own. We can get ahead and move forward.”
Eugenia Mazurenko, CEO of the Zagoriy Foundation, a family foundation in Kyiv, Ukraine, comes to WE this October as a participant in the month-long Professional Fellows Program (PFP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and locally by the San Diego Diplomacy Council. Before the full-scale war in Ukraine, Eugenia lived in Bucha. Having now relocated to western Ukraine with her husband and daughter, she continues her important and impressive work at the foundation and leads a women’s support group for her former neighbors from Bucha. While here in San Diego, she will work on projects for WE in line with her expertise in philanthropy, grantmaking, and nonprofit management/capacity-building and her personal interests in women’s empowerment efforts. She also applied to PFP with a personal goal to raise awareness about the NGO sector in Ukraine and to connect international organizations with Ukrainian grassroots organizations.
Eugenia has more than 13 years of experience in the management of charitable foundations and non-governmental organizations. She is also host of the Podcast “Great Stories,” a columnist about charity on platfor.ma, liga.net, and nv.business, and an Executive MBA student at the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School. Prior to her work with the Zagoriy Foundation, she worked at NGO Forum, Danish Refugee Council, and Klitschko Foundation.
Eugenia, welcome and thank you for your service with WE!
About the Zagoriy Foundation:
Zagoriy Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2015. The foundation’s mission is to develop the culture of giving in Ukraine. They achieve this through grantmaking activities, conducting research, capacity-building for organizations, promoting institutional philanthropy, and developing the philanthropic community. Currently, their primary focus is on supporting grassroots community service organizations (CSOs) in Ukraine that help beneficiaries in times of war. This year, they’ve been validated by Charities Aid Foundation, and thanks to their network of partners in Ukraine and abroad have been able to scale activities to support nonprofits in Ukraine more effectively. Zagoriy Foundation is a member of WINGS, National Center for Family Philanthropy, Philea, and EVPA.
Currently, Eugenia and the team at the foundation are working on a big project to create a mapping platform of previously verified organizations and foundations. This initiative aims to raise awareness of the sector and build trust in the NGO sector in Ukraine.
The foundation also conducts research projects, the latest report being on Charity in times of war. The study notes the growth in the scale of charity and its rapid development in Ukraine over the past year, the significant increase in involvement of Ukrainians in charity, and the increase of trust in charitable institutions.
“Before starting the Embroidery Program, I didn’t know how to draw and it was challenging to learn. But I learned that not everything in life will come easy, rather that there are things that will be difficult. And the difficult things are worth more. I value my work because it has truly helped me to get ahead.”
Marta, 34, lives with her husband and four children in Patanatic, a small, rural village close to Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. The area is mountainous and houses are typically built on a hillside. Apart from agriculture (coffee, corn, fruit, vegetables; and raising poultry) economic opportunities are few. As a result, many people work outside the community in construction, restaurants, and hotels.
In 2016, Marta happily accepted Multicolores’ invitation to join the Embroidery Program. It was particularly gratifying for her because alongside acquiring embroidery and design skills, she was also trained as a teacher equipped to train other women in the technique. Marta has since formed an Embroidery group with women from her local community.
Of working with Multicolores Marta says, “working with Multicolores is not just a job for me because it’s been a fundamental part of my life, in which ‘I’ as a woman have achieved many things! I have a good job, I manage my own time, I’m with my children, and each month I have income that helps me to pay for my family’s expenses. I’ve seen many positive changes in myself and the other artists through our work with Multicolores. We feel valued and have a new confidence in our own capacity. In Guatemala, since ancient times, there have existed many prejudices against women, many think that as women we have little more to contribute than being a housewife. Now I realize that gender equality is crucial to achieving development in our communities. As women we are capable of making great contributions to our families and to society.”
Importantly for Marta, her embroidery is a source of great pride. Her pieces, inspired by nature and Maya heritage, are a way for her to keep her rich cultural history alive. She loves embroidery because it enables her to express herself freely and creatively. She hopes to always be an enterprising mother, supporting the needs of her family, investing in her children’s education, and always innovative in her work.
Uris Esperanza Cruz de Muñoz – OEF De El Salvador
Uris Esperanza Cruz de Muñoz, lives at Colonia La Pista, Usulutan, a state on the East side of El Salvador, considered to be one of those under extreme poverty conditions and with high rates of irregular migration. Her family includes her husband, Marcos, who is a laborer, and their four children, three of which are still at school.
She has always been a entrepreneur. She used to have a tortilleria, making corn tortillas to be sold. On 2015, she had the opportunity to access her first loan – she received $200 – to enhance the tortilleria. She was able to improve her production and income and diversify with a small grocery store, with a few different products.
She has received four loans since then. By the second one, she stopped making tortillas – a really exhausting activity – and dedicated her efforts and resources to growing and expanding the grocery store. Currently, she received her most recent loan in January 2022 for $500. She used the money to keep investing in the grocery store. She introduced even more diversity of products to become the first choice of stores for her community. She already has enough profit to keep the business, support her family, and afford the payback of the loan.
Kaleah Smith – Urban Corps of San Diego County
Kaleah Smith had a challenging childhood. Kaleah moved dozens of times, attended 30 schools and was in dozens of foster homes and group homes. Kaleah was expelled from school and sent to juvenile hall when she was 14. At that time, she was removed from her current foster home, separated from her younger brother and ran away several times, violating her probation.
This led to Kaleah not finishing high school. At the age of 16, Kaleah was working, trying to support herself living on her own. At the age of 18, Kaleah aged out of foster care and went to live on her own. In 2019, Kaleah and her fiancé moved to San Diego, and she started her second chance high school diploma program at Urban Corps Charter School. Kaleah also got connected to Just in Time for Foster Youth, where they helped her get her first place by herself in El Cajon. This came at just the right time and she is very proud of this accomplishment, after she spent several months in a homeless shelter.
Kaleah didn’t let her circumstances define her. At Urban Corps, Kaleah works with a City of San Diego homeless encampment and beautification crew where she works to pick up trash and bulky items to make neighborhoods, parks, and open spaces safer. Kaleah is graduating from Urban Corps Charter School in December 2022. Kaleah is ambitious and has big goals. Before she graduates, she wants to obtain her driver’s license and receive new trainings and certifications. After graduation, Kaleah wants to go to college for cosmetology, sociology and nursing. Her other goals? To be married with a big family, financially and spiritually stable.
Board Member Spotlight
Mrs. Landen Villanueva has 20 years’ experience in the public and private sector supporting the US Navy – first as an enlisted sailor, then as a private industry contractor, and now as a public servant working for the Navy. Landen is a graduate of the University of Phoenix (B.S. in Business Management) and San Diego State University (M.S. in Public Administration). She is an enthusiastic mom, wife, triathlete, and musician. This will be the beginning of Landen’s journey with WE, and she is excited for the opportunity to do great things with WE!
And we are so pleased to welcome her to the Board. Thank you, Landen, for your service!
Q & A with Landen…
Q: How did you first find WE or get introduced to WE? A: I was introduced to WE by Win Cox.
Q: What sparked your interest in joining the Board? A: I met Win prior to COVID, but we really spent a lot of time together during COVID. It was during that time that she first mentioned WE and that she thought I could be an asset to the team. I attended a fundraiser at Win’s house and learned much more about the organization, the amazing things WE does, and the wonderful people that support it. Through her gentle nudging and seeing her passion for this organization, I endeavored to learn more and now here I am!
Q: What are you most excited to contribute to the Board and WE’s governance? A: I have a lot of energy to give and I am excited to apply myself anywhere that my assistance would be welcomed. I have been a jack of all trades throughout my career and hopefully my colorful background can be a positive asset for WE.
Q: How do you spend your time when not volunteering with WE?
A: I am a mom first, and a triathlete second. Together with my husband, I have a 7 year old daughter and a 9 year old son. We also have 3 huge dogs and two tortoises and so my house is often loud and messy! I didn’t find athletics until I was an adult, and I recently stumbled upon triathlon. I have been enjoying this sport for almost 4 years now and I am about to complete my 5th Half Ironman this September. When I am not training or cuddling with my family, my love of music prevails. I sing and play trumpet and french horn, and I am currently trying to learn the drums (!) but who knows how that will turn out!
Q. What’s one of your favorite inspirational/motivational quotes?
A: I don’t think I have a favorite, per se; I just love quotes around kindness and happiness. Here are a couple: “Happiness adds and multiplies, as we divide it with others.” ~ A. Nielsen, and, “It is not joy that makes us grateful, it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” ~ Unknown.
Q. What was the last good book you read or what’s next on your reading list?
A. One of my favorite books is Simon Sinek’s Start with Why, and I am also a fan of Ken Blanchard’s writing.
To learn more about volunteering with WE, click here or email info@womenempowerment.org. There are many ways to get involved!
To see the complete list of our Board Members, click here.
Board Member Spotlight José Angel Nuncio joins us as a new Board Member for the 2022-2023 Board year. But, this isn’t his first time being involved with WE. José also previously served as WE Liaison to the Adelante Foundation in Honduras from 2006 to 2019 and as a Board Member from 2009 to 2014. Since retiring in early 2021, José returned to serve WE as its Finance Committee Chair, where he also served as Chair in the early part of the 2010s. He has 30 years’ experience in the public works sector in San Diego, having worked for Caltrans and the San Diego Association of Governments in areas ranging from cross-border planning and engineering to budgets and finance. José is a graduate of the University of Michigan (BS Aerospace Engineering) and UC San Diego (MS Structural Engineering).
Thank you, José, for your service and sharing your expertise with us!
Q & A with José…
Q: How did you first find WE or get introduced to WE? A: A San Diego Union-Tribune article in 2005 or so highlighted this new local organization devoted to reducing poverty through microfinance called Women’s Empowerment. I had been curious about how this tool was implemented and how it could help reduce poverty among women and society in general. I contacted the organization and participated in an introductory session in Point Loma, where I met Linda Corey. She put me in touch with others at WE, and in 2006 I was asked to be the WE liaison with Adelante Foundation in Honduras, which I did until 2019.
Q: What sparked your interest in joining the Board? A: WE supports very important and worthy organizations across the world, which I saw first-hand when meeting women clients in Honduras. I was previously on the Board (2009-2014), but because of work commitments, could not continue. Now that I am retired, I am looking forward to working with my fellow Board members to continue the good work.
Q: What are you most excited to contribute to the Board and WE’s governance? A: WE has grown immensely since its early years, and as it continues to grow, evolve and adapt, I look forward to contributing to the aspirational nature of the WE Board, providing historical context, and as the current Chair of the Finance Committee, financial planning and support to the Board and management.
Q: How do you spend your time when not volunteering with WE?
A: I am currently planning on walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain this Fall – about 500 miles – so I’m doing a lot of prep walking!
Q. What’s one of your favorite inspirational/motivational quotes?
A: It actually comes from one of the WE clients served by Grameen de la Frontera, one of WE’s earliest partners, many years ago. She said, “nomas porque somos pobres, no quiere decir que seamos brutas” (just because we are poor, it does not mean we are dumb). And I absolutely agree. It is a constant reminder that we as donors must approach helping others with humility, appreciating the opportunities we have had, realizing that a lack of opportunity does not equate to a lack of ability. It’s about respect. It’s about dignity. It’s about recognizing that the success and achievements of the women clients is due to their hard work, often against so many odds. Their achievements are truly inspirational.
Q. What was the last good book you read or what’s next on your reading list?
A. I like novels that mix historical context into the story. El Italiano, by Arturo Pérez-Reverte and Terra Alta, by Javier Cercas, both mixed different eras of Spain’s XX century complicated history into the story.
To learn more about volunteering with WE, click here or email info@womenempowerment.org. There are many ways to get involved!
To see the complete list of our Board Members, click here.
