“It’s really about women of means helping women in need.”
The Foundation for Women is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that strives to continually support and encourage impoverished women, both globally and locally, by funding and creating microcredit programs. The organization is currently operating microcredit programs in two regions; FFW USA Microcredit Program, with a pilot in San Diego, and FFW Liberia in Africa. Women Give has funded the San Diego Microcredit Program $3,000 a year for 2 years.
I had the opportunity to speak to Murugi Kenyatta, VP Community Development for the Foundation for Women who was born in Kenya. Murugi has seen the microcredit program work firsthand. She says, “It’s proven to be a useful tool for empowering women and breaking the cycle of poverty.”
The FFW San Diego Microcredit Program utilizes the Grameen method (developed by 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus), and is serving poor industrious women with microcredit loans of $250, $500, and $1,000 and requiring prospective borrowers form groups of 5 that meet on a weekly basis. The model promotes successful repayment and savings. During the weekly meetings, participants receive entrepreneurial training, financial education and professional mentoring. At least 100 groups of entrepreneurial San Diego women have built their own microenterprises with FFW loans. Through its partner agencies that serve these communities, the Foundation for Women receives referrals for potential borrowers.
There are 80,000 women living in dire poverty in San Diego. 95% of the women are Latina and many are new immigrants or second generation Americans who live below the poverty level. Yet among them are industrious and driven women who have figured out a way to run their own business – from child-care to cooking tamales to jewelry making. Several have joined forces and started commercial cleaning services while one woman has ventured into the male dominated construction business and is passionately encouraging other women to join her.
According to Murugi, “FFW is committed to helping women realize their dreams and fulfill their potential. We want to serve every woman in San Diego who needs a hand up.” She adds, “if you have the drive and passion – here’s the money, here’s the education and training. We believe in you, we know you can do it – go get it!”
Since March 2010, FFW San Diego has served over 560 women in fourteen centers located throughout the County - from Fallbrook to San Ysidro. The demand for the program is high and the capacity is not currently there. In 2012, the Foundation for Women hopes to serve 750 women with a goal of serving 6,800 women by 2014.
Currently, the Foundation for Women is recruiting more staff members and resources to meet this need. They like to promote from within because “it’s really all about women empowerment.” Nora Batley-Nido participated in the microcredit program and is now the program manager. The idea is to train the current “borrowers” so they can fill the staff roles. When FFW identifies a leader among the group, they train her to take on a leadership position.
The Foundation for Women is also looking for volunteers like Diane Adcock, Women Give member. She worked one-on-one with one of the microcredit recipients who’s a jewelry maker by helping her market her jewelry through Facebook and other sources.
In her own words, Diane says, “I got in touch with Foundation for Women after speaking with Murugi Kenyatta at the WGSD Holiday party. She shared with me the scale and scope of their micro-finance program and I was surprised how diverse the women’s businesses were! I decided to attend a few of their meetings and find out how I could help the women promote their businesses. What they were most curious about were online marketing tools and tips on how to buy and sell online. We decided that it would be best for me to create a PowerPoint presentation (which I'm still working on) outlining some tips and to assist individual women on an as-needed basis.
In February 2012, I went down to Chula Vista and helped one of the Micro-entrepreneurs, Elsa Urzúa, create a professional Facebook page for her jewelry business, Se Icon Jewelry. I taught her the Facebook basics, helped her upload professional looking display photos, and also set up a Google Checkout Account so she can accept online transactions. She was very sweet, and offered me a beautiful bracelet that I'll be sure to wear to our next membership meeting to show off.”
If you are interested in being a mentor, volunteer or a guest speaker for the Microcredit program, please contact Murugi at murugi@foundationforwomen.org
The photos were taken by one of our most driven microentrepreneurs/
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