Hanna | San Diego

Nov 12, 2024 | California, Featured News/ Events, Our Impact Page, Women Stories

Meet Hanna B.

When Hanna Borysiuk arrived in San Diego from Ukraine, she felt the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her. The war with Russia forced her to leave her homeland, and she arrived in the United States unprepared for the challenges of starting over in a foreign country. Life was confusing as she tried to figure out how to support her family in this new environment.

Hanna’s eldest daughter, understanding the depth of her mother’s skill and passion for sewing, managed to bring Hanna’s beloved Singer sewing machine from Ukraine.

Sewing had always been a constant in Hanna’s life; she couldn’t live without it. She had always altered and repaired clothes for her husband, two daughters, and two granddaughters. This act of love sparked a glimmer of hope.

Hanna learned about the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in San Diego and enrolled in several programs, including the TVESL driving lessons cohort and the employment capabilities program. Through these programs, she was referred to those funded by WE grants within the IRC’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which became essential for her to start, develop, and grow her business. With the support of the IRC SBDC, Hanna completed the Business Women in Action (BWIA) training course. This cohort was designed for newly-arrived Ukrainian women aspiring to start businesses.

Hanna was considering turning her sewing skills into a viable business to support her livelihood in her new country. She describes her business advisor as a compassionate and encouraging counselor who helped her pivot her loving hobby of sewing into an entrepreneurial one. Her advisor has been with her business every step of the way to formalize her business with the City of San Diego, fulfilling her goal to alter and sew clothing for others besides her immediate family members.

Hanna advertised her services to her community and started getting orders for clothing alterations. However, she quickly realized that her single sewing machine wasn’t enough to meet the growing demand. Although Hanna could sell her services, she was not making enough to afford a new sewing machine to meet her customers’ needs. So, she returned to IRC to discuss her problem and strategize with her business advisor, who informed her that she could qualify for a women entrepreneur microgrant to purchase another machine. Hanna was overjoyed with this news. She asked her business advisor about the requirements and wasted no time, diligently working to submit all the required documents. Hanna received a $1,000 microgrant from IRC SBDC, which allowed her to purchase another sewing machine and the necessary supplies.

Hanna says, “When I received my new sewing machine, I was very happy! I could do almost everything that was brought to me for repair and make people happy because I was giving a new life to their favorite things. I am grateful to [IRC and my business advisor] for supporting me in achieving my dreams and giving me the opportunity to make a living in my new country.”

Kiconco | Uganda

Aug 6, 2024 | Featured News/ Events, Women Stories

WE grants have funded the growth and success of Nyaka’s Grandmother Microfinance project in Uganda since 2014, and it continues to create significant impact in reducing poverty for women caring for their grandchildren. Microloans for grandmothers, combined with other support systems such as training, follow-ups, vocational skills, and products, have demonstrated a significant impact on household income. Over the span of 4 years, daily income is increased from as low as $1.06 (below the International Poverty Line) to $2.78 (with grandmother-led families now living above that line), resulting in a remarkable 480% return on investment during the same period.

Meet Kiconco from Uganda
Kiconco Annet, 55, is a member of the Nangara Grandmother group with Nyaka. She cares for her two grandchildren, Manige Rebecca (14) and Twinamasiko Timothy (12). She is a leader, as treasurer of her Grandmother group, entrepreneurial, and business savvy.

Kiconco has attained agricultural skills and improved her farming practices, leading to increased yields from her garden. Kiconco obtained a revolving microloan of UGX 200,000 (about $53) from Nyaka which she used to buy quality seeds and organic pesticides. She grows cabbage for family consumption and sells the surplus for income.

Kiconco has also invested in a successful brick-making venture, thus diversifying her sources of income. Brick-making is not a common business for grannies, particularly because of their age. Kiconco is stronger for her age, saw an opportunity, and is the first granny Nyaka has had in their program with a brick-making business. She operates her own kilns and hires others to do the labor of the brick work until the point when the bricks are ready for sale, which she handles herself. Brick is a common building material for houses in Uganda – for those who can afford it – as it is more durable than mud walls.

Kiconco Annet appreciates the support she and others have received through the Nyaka Grandmother program, noting the impact on their well-being.

“Thank you… for thinking about grandmothers and changing their lives,” she says.

Masouma H. | San Diego

Jun 5, 2024 | California, Women Stories

Meet Masouma H.

Masouma, a resilient entrepreneur and immigrant from Afghanistan living in San Diego, has shared her inspiring journey of pursuing her goals to start a family daycare business in San Diego. With the ongoing support of WE Grant Partner, International Rescue Committee (IRC) San Diego, and its STEPS Program, part of the WE STAR programming funded by WE, Masouma received access to tools and resources to maintain and run a successful and thriving business of her own.

In 2016, after fleeing Afghanistan with her family as refugees, they resettled in San Diego. She faced numerous challenges, including language barriers and caring for her son with autism. Before immigrating to the US, Masouma had an established career in the Afghan government, where she worked in different positions with the Ministry of Education after graduating from university.

Masouma is a trained teacher and loves teaching. When she discovered the childcare business, she thought it would be a great way to channel that passion and her expertise, while still providing care for her son and having flexibility to take him to his appointments. Masouma received valuable resources, information, and technical assistance through the IRC San Diego’s STEPS Program to navigate the startup and operations of her business. The program also provided her with a stipend to purchase extra equipment and a laptop to help digitize her business.

She stated, “When I moved to the US, in the beginning, it was very challenging to navigate the process of opening and running a small daycare business, but the help of IRC and tools that they provided through programs like STEPS made it so much easier to navigate and feel confident to go through the process.”

Masouma opened her business in the fall of 2020, amid the pandemic. Like many other businesses during the pandemic, Masouma’s business struggled. She found enrolling children in her childcare program to be difficult and turned to the IRC WE STAR programs to help market her business. With the help of her IRC Business Advisor, Masouma developed a marketing plan that helped enroll six children in her childcare business and work on expanding her business with a waitlist for enrollment. She worked with IRC staff to open a Google My Business bank account, develop her social media account, and gain marketing skills to promote her business. IRC staff also helped her develop a business plan and provided other financial tools to track her budget and expenses.

Masouma’s new skills, business plans, marketing efforts, along with her love for teaching and her incorporation of activities for children to learn about Afghan culture helped to attract more families. After just over two years since starting her childcare business, she was able to buy a house and expand her business to a large childcare license and hire additional employees to help. Currently, she has 20 children enrolled in her program. Masouma is genuinely grateful for the assistance and support and highly recommends the IRC’s programs to anyone looking to start or grow their business.

Her story is a testament to the impact of the WE grant funding that helped IRC San Diego to launch and grow the WE STAR programming, which helps empowered women to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams. Her determination and hard work, combined with the support from this program, have enabled her to overcome obstacles and build a thriving business. Masouma’s journey serves as a reminder of the resilience and potential within immigrant communities. It highlights the importance of providing resources and support to help them succeed in their new home. She expresses her gratitude to the IRC and WE for helping her achieve her dream and is thankful for the opportunity to pursue her passion for running a successful business.

Catalina | El Salvador

Apr 21, 2024 | El Salvador, Women Stories

A message from Catalina, 53-year-old participant with our grant partner, OEF in El Salvador:

I am Catalina and I live with my family: my husband, my daughter and one grandchild. I received a USD$300 inclusive loan, which I used to buy a sewing machine and some sewing supplies to begin a small sewing workshop. I am providing the service at my community and my income varies from $225 to $250 every month, which provides support to my family.

I feel blessed and grateful to OEF and WE for providing the fund, for women can accomplish the dream to become entrepreneurs and support their families.

Your donation creates a positive impact in the lives of women like Catalina!

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Betty | Uganda

Mar 5, 2024 | Uganda, Women Stories

Betty, a resilient 71-year-old from Kyamagote village in Kanungu District, has transformed her life against all odds. Living with her two grandchildren, aged 7 and 10, who were left behind by her daughter in pursuit of employment, Betty became a beacon of inspiration through the support of a UGX 400,000 loan (~$105) from WE grant funds.

With a keen entrepreneurial spirit, Betty invested the funds in kickstarting a goat-keeping project. The initial purchase of a single goat turned into a resounding success, as it gave birth to twins and then triplets within a year. Betty’s small investment snowballed into six goats, and the subsequent generations have not only provided her with valuable manure for her thriving vegetable gardens but have also bolstered her banana plantation.

Betty, pictured proudly with her goats, expressed profound gratitude to WE for not only facilitating the repayment of the loan but also for empowering her to achieve self- sufficiency. Leveraging the income from her banana plantation and other farm produce like sugarcane, Betty’s entrepreneurial spirit has flourished. She now owns nine goats, estimated at a remarkable UGX 1,100,000, signaling a substantial improvement in her socio-economic status.

Betty’s story is a testament to the transformative power of targeted financial assistance, breaking the chains of adversity and fostering economic empowerment. Her journey vividly demonstrates the profound impact that strategic support can have on socio-economic well-being, particularly in hard-to-reach communities. Betty stands as a living example of resilience, entrepreneurship, and the potential for positive change in the face of challenges.

Husniah | San Diego

Nov 21, 2023 | California, Featured News/ Events, Our Impact Page, Women Stories

Husniah, a refugee student from Afghanistan and Corpsmember with WE partner, Urban Corps of San Diego County, has faced numerous challenges on her journey, but her resilience and determination have never wavered. As a refugee, she has had to overcome obstacles that most of us can’t even imagine. One of the biggest obstacles she faced was transportation.

Living far from the Urban Corps of San Diego campus, it was a constant struggle for her to get to her High School Education and Job training program. However, with the help of the Women’s Empowerment International’s grant for vehicle down payment assistance, she was able to obtain a much-needed car of her own.

It has been said that “transportation is the aorta of poverty” and this is very accurate for Corpsmembers at Urban Corps. Corpsmembers were found to be missing career opportunities because they didn’t have their own vehicle. Employers want “reliable transportation” and public transportation does not always go a work location or might be delayed en route, and if you are unable to make it to work, you risk losing your job. WE has provided support for down payments, while Mission Federal Credit Credit Union, another Urban Corps partner, has been supporting financial literacy training and counseling to ensure Corpsmembers are able to continue with any insurance and loan payments that they will have.

For Husniah, her car has become a lifeline for her, enabling her to commute efficiently and reliably, eliminating the barriers that once stood in her way. Now, Husniah can confidently navigate the demands of work and education, empowering her to reach her goals and create a brighter future. Her unwavering determination, combined with the support she received, has truly transformed her life.

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