“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.
We are very pleased to announce that WE will be renewing partnerships with the following organizations and awarding grant funds totaling $201,230 for the 2022-23 grant year. Programs providing resources and training for women experiencing poverty in San Diego, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, and Uganda will be funded because of generous donors like you!
Adelante Foundation –renewing our partnership for one year, granting $35,000. Adelante provides microloans and financial services to women living in poverty who lack access to funding and resources. The end goal is to break intergenerational cycles of poverty, provide inclusive opportunities that address gender inequality, and improve household resilience to external stressors. Adelante was one of the first organizations to provide microfinance in Honduras and continues to be one of the only microfinance nonprofits that prioritizes those experiencing the highest levels of poverty.
“Women’s Empowerment has been an incredible partner through thick and thin. I cannot tell you how much we appreciate and are motivated by your unwavering support. Thank you for being part of and supporting Adelante’s mission. On behalf of each of our beneficiaries and the entire Adelante staff, we show our sincere gratitude.”
Fonkoze –renewing our partnership for one year, granting $33,330. Fonkoze’s Boutik Sante (Community Health Store) program brings access to health products, services, and information to some of the most rural parts of Haiti through a network of trained women entrepreneurs, Community Health Entrepreneurs (CHEs). This year, Fonkoze will be expanding gender-based violence (GBV) trainings and high blood pressure monitoring services for its CHEs to bring to their communities. GBV rose over 300% from 2019 to 2020 in Haiti and hypertension accounts for 17% of all deaths in Haiti.
International Rescue Committee San Diego –renewing our partnership for three years, granting $50,000 for the first year. Through one-on-one technical assistance and responsive training, the IRC’s WE STAR Program addresses core barriers that low-income, immigrant women face when opening and operating a successful small business. The program provides microenterprise development training and technical assistance that is both culturally appropriate and in-language, geared to meet the specific needs of aspiring and existing women entrepreneurs.
The IRC’s holistic programming will add several new offerings this year including: a 14-session Steps to Success trainings (STEPS) for existing Afghan child care providers to ensure a true path to economic security and mobility, a Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) Training that will support participants earning a permit from the County of San Diego and developing a profitable microenterprise, and a new training program to support women and women BIPOC entrepreneurs in certifying their business as woman-owned, minority-owned, and small disadvantaged-owned, which is helpful in marketing and obtaining government funding.
Nyaka –renewing our partnership for three years, granting $52,900 for the first year. WE supports the microfinance initiative as part of the Nyaka Grandmothers program, an innovative, scalable, home-based model of care that aids the healthy development of each child orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Grandmother groups meet monthly to share education, training (including business and vocational training), and support. WE funding will allow for this year’s expansion of the microfinance programming to 24 new grandmother groups (with 1,920 women participating) in the Rukungiri and Kanungu districts. Nyaka will also implement a new technology-driven monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system to better track their impact over the whole Grandmothers program.
“Thank you to the entire WE team! This is such an exciting partnership, and we are thrilled to see it continued, and to see such a transformational level of support for our grannies. WE, thank you for making sure that more than 20,000 women have had economic freedom and empowerment.”
Via International –renewing our partnership for three years, granting $30,000 for the first year. WE supports two Via programs, ESTIMA and Via Migrante, which aim to enhance social and economic empowerment among women in Tijuana, Mexico. Women in ESTIMA are working in the sex trade or at risk of entering it, some having been initially trafficked. Many came to Tijuana hoping for better economic opportunities to care for themselves and their children. In Via Migrante, women have fled violence and poverty in southern Mexico and Central America. Some of the new arrivals are deported mothers from the United States.
Most of them are the sole financial caretakers for their children, but have had few opportunities for education and employment. Via program components focus on the basic needs of these women–family health and food security, as well as financial security for longer-term sustainable lives.
Stay tuned for more exciting grant news over the coming months! We currently have grant applications open to new partners and have allocated a minimum of $40,000 for these partnerships.
The Julian Soup Luncheon on Saturday, May 14 was a huge success thanks to the superb organization of Dyan Winship, Paula Hackman and Nancy Kramer of the Julian giving circle! Over 65 people attended the event on a sunny afternoon at the Santa Ysabel Nature Center.
Attendees enjoyed delicious soups, salads, and desserts while being entertained by the music of Ken Wright and Lenny Boles. Diana Lindsay, Founder and President of Sunbelt Publications, gave an enlightening presentation on the book Coast to Cactus: The Canyoneer Trail Guide to San Diego Outdoors. It was an afternoon of music, good food, catching up with old friends, and mission-driven inspiration! Together, they raised over $4,500 to fund microloans, workforce readiness training, and poverty alleviation interventions for women in need.
We extend sincere thank-yous to the Julian Circle volunteers for their tireless work to put this event together and to all the friends who attended!
To the generous donors of silent auction basket items:
Paddy Jacobsen Massage Mary Morgan Nancy Kramer Julian Jewel Box One Heart Massage Susan Kaiser Lynn Jarman & Lesley Mccelland Volcan Mountain Winery Heidi Schotfeldt Women’s Empowerment Partner Entrepreneurs And Board Rebecca Morales Darrian & Collins Lum Toni Marquette
To the superb soup and delectable dessert makers:
Angie Brenner Carol Schloo-Wright Carol Pike Mary Jo Strom Lynn Jarman Nancy Kramer Kristi Holt Lesley McClelland Sally Snipes Annie Dover
To Kathy Louv for the really lovely dining table centerpieces and Sally Snipes and Anita Nichols for the sweet peas and garden flowers in vases that decorated food and auction tables.
Last but not least, to Anita Nichols (Mom’s Pie Company) and Pat Straube (Orchard Hill Country Inn) for the use of their commercial kitchens without which this soup event could not have taken place in the County facility.
Volunteer Spotlight Julie Hocking has served as WE’s Assistant Treasurer for 10 years, serving several times as an Interim Treasurer, as well. Julie’s work behind the scenes helps us maintain our accountability, integrity, and transparency for donors. It ensures our organization can function efficiently and sustainably and grow to serve and empower more women. Thank you, Julie, for your service and sharing your expertise with us!
Q & A with Julie…
Q: What drew you to WE? A: I had always been interested in the idea of microfinance as a way to alleviate poverty. I was invited to the annual Women’s Day celebration at UCSD and realized that there was a need for a bookkeeper.
Q: What has been the most rewarding part of volunteering with WE? A: I have a skill in bookkeeping support that I was happy to utilize in my volunteer work with WE.
Q: Do you have any memorable experiences through your time with WE that you would like to share A: I had the opportunity to visit a WE project in Mexico. (That project was so successful that they ended their relationship with WE because they no longer needed additional funding to remain viable.) The opportunity to visit with women entrepreneurs at their businesses – bread baking, flower growing, small stores – was very inspirational.
Q: What has been a favorite book you’ve read recently? A: I recently discovered “Beautiful Oops” by Barney Saltzberg. This book shows young readers how every mistake is an opportunity to make something beautiful. The creative arts are important to me, and this is a book I can share with my grandchildren as they discover creativity.
Q: What is one of your favorite inspirational or motivational quotes? A: My personal mantra is: Be Brave.
