Please visit La Dolce Vita, the Wellness Center at:

1445 Skyline Drive, Lemon Grove CA 91945

(858) 523-8064

La Dolce Vita

For more information about the Foundation for Women visit  THEIR WEBSITE

Edited by Justine Darling, USD Graduate Student

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” – Mother Teresa

I believe the wisdom from Mother Teresa’s quote is most strongly felt within our hearts. When we begin careers or get involved in service it is likely that we believe, doing our best is good enough. Unfortunately, in many cases shortly after our initial enthusiasm, we come face to face with the needs of the community that are beyond our ability. This realization can be both a blessing and a curse. I would contend that the difference in its impact comes from within our own mindset and attitude.

Realizing that the needs of the communities we serve are beyond our abilities can be a curse if we do not develop sufficient faith in ourselves. The realization can be a curse if we feel we have already failed. It can be a curse if it causes us to doubt our efforts and become immobilized.  However, realizing the community we serve needs more than we can offer can also be seen as a blessing.

Realizing the needs of the community are beyond our current ability is a blessing because it calls us to look beyond ourselves. This process helps us to maintain perspective and learn humility. This process reminds us that our efforts are less about being everything to everyone and more about becoming something to someone.  Progress and innovation are the result of the need to develop beyond current capacity. Teamwork and community involvement build relationships that may otherwise fail to develop.

The San Diego Microfinance Alliance and its partners are a wonderful example of this reality. One can imagine that the small group of people that came together to form the alliance realized that they needed more help to serve more people. We can all see the progress, innovation, teamwork, and community involvement that the alliance has created within the San Diego community. The alliance currently has 13 partners committed to perpetuating and sharing the benefits of microfinance. May our work together continue to challenge us to reach new levels of service, education and community development!

Until next time, take care!

Written by Daniel Valcazar II, USD student

The Alternative Gift Fair is an event that supports local vendors and artisans. The event has been on campus for over 10 years. As a result, many people around campus look forward to this event and plan to buy gifts for the most difficult people on their list. The particularly exciting aspect of this year’s Alternative Gift Fair was the presence of such a large number of microfinance clients.

This year’s Alternative Gift Fair was the largest in history and included 25 separate vendors. However, the most exciting part of the story was that 11 of the 25 were involved in microfinance! The breakdown for microfinance participants was roughly five vendors from the Foundation for Women, three vendors from the International Rescue Committee, and three vendors from La Maestra.

When asked about his perspective on the event, USD Senior Lovel Tokic, said that he, “felt good about putting his money toward a good cause.” Lovel spent about $40 on various gifts for the women in his life. “It was a very good atmosphere. The people were friendly and committed to their crafts.” This sentiment seems to be consistent with the goals of the event.

Fortunately, I had a chance to check in with some of the vendors after the fair. Their responses were positive and seemed to reflect the success of their sales. There were multiple women I’d checked with that made over $200 during the event and at least one woman made over $800! Needless to say, many of them hope to return next year.

If you’re still in need of some creative and unique gifts for the holidays, many of the vendors that participated in the Alternative Gift Fair also showcase their goods at other local events. Whether you’re looking specifically for holidays or just considering future gift ideas, check out the local events section of our website. There you can find various opportunities to see the crafts and jewelry you may have missed this past week, and many more from vendors that were not able to attend.

Until next time, take care!

Written by USD student, Daniel Valcazar II

On Sunday, November 14 from 2:30-6pm the Foundation for Women will be holding another Microenterprise Marketplace Bazaar. This bazaar will be reoccurring every other week from 11am-4pm, for those who can’t make it this Sunday. This bazaar will include many of the young women featured in the Purple Pages that work with the Foundation for Women. If you’re not familiar with the Purple Pages, I’d invite you to check them out.

The Purple Pages serve as a directory of the women working with the Foundation. These pages include a picture, contact information, location, and type of product or service the women provide. There are over 10-pages of entrepreneurs with more than 5 areas of expertise. The categories listed include: jewelry, food, apparel & accessories, health & beauty, arts & flowers, housecleaning & misc skills.

As you read this I hope you’re not watching the clock waiting for lunch. I know all this talk of home cooked meals and tamales have me salivating. I don’t mean to detract from the fact that many other vendors not selling home cooked food will be participating. I am just approaching this marketing opportunity using the programming mantra I know best, where there’s food there’s a crowd. Thus, if you’re interested in attending the address is: 695 Ballantyne Street El Cajon, CA 92021. You can also find more information and the Purple Pages (click on the purple “Meet our Vendors” button in the News & Events section) at foundationforwomen.org.

Until next time, take care!

Written by Daniel Valcazar II, USD student

Since the Foundation for Women’s establishment in 1997, the organization has supplied eligible women with microcredit loans, as well as motivational programs. These programs educate all participants about financial and business management in which the participants come together to learn and support each other in their ventures. By giving women loans that help them put their dreams into action, the microcredit programs not only inspire the women but instill a sense of pride in their work and communities. Loans are funded through individual contributions, memberships, grants and corporate donations.

Whether women use their loans to sell handcrafted merchandise or to buy and resell goods, each loan puts them one step closer to success and gives them a tremendous sense of accomplishment.

Get Involved
In order for the Foundation for Women to succeed in granting impoverished women microcredit loans, our organization is heavily dependent on the generosity and involvement of our communities. Our foundation provides a number of ways for interested community members to get involved in the fight to alleviate poverty among women, including coffee purchases, hosting parties, volunteering, donations, and spreading the word.

To donate, visit http://www.foundationforwomen.org/get-involved.html.

There are 800 million rural subsistence farmers around the world and each one of them are relying on their land for survival. Many farmers have to use slash and burn agriculture to create more land to plant cash crops or clear cut forests to produce charcoal and provide enough income to support their families. These harmful methods lead to further environmental degradation and eventually force desperate families to flee their lands and move into densely overpopulated cities such as Port-au-Prince to seek economic opportunity.

Plant With Purpose is a San Diego based non-profit organization that works internationally to reverse cycles of environmental decline and poverty by teaching sustainable agriculture and microfinance. 

As a part with Plant With Purpose’s holistic approach to community development, they teach savings-led microfinance to encourage savings and provide access to affordable credit in regions where money lenders charge exorbitant rates and traditional banks refuse to loan to farmers. Access to credit can create a buffer to allow families to pay for things like school fees for their children when their crops haven’t been harvested and sold yet. Savings-led credit groups use social capital and local leadership to equip rural farmers with financial tools to improve the quality of life for themselves and their families.

One example of the transformation spurred by Plant With Purpose’s savings and credit program is the story of Dina Kokeroe, a mother of five school age children from the village of Ashira, Tanzania. After Dina’s husband abandoned the family, she was left in a desperate situation. Unable to provide for her family’s needs, she was forced to borrow money from relatives. After hearing how Plant With Purpose’s work had benefited the nearby village of Masia Mamba, she took the initiative to gather a group of 40 people and invited Plant with Purpose to help them form a Village Community Bank in Ashira. Dina has been able to grow her small business and can now support her five children. She says, “Now I can look to the future with confidence, since I am able to sand on my own. I am so happy that Plant with Purpose has come to my community.”

For more information visit www.plantwithpurpose.org.

2010 San Diego Microfinance Summit

April 28th, 2010

8:30am-4:30pm

Sign Up Now

The San Diego Microfinance Summit will bring together students, business owners, members of the community, microlenders, bankers, and many others to learn, network, and become more involved in microfinance.  The summit will highlight both international microfinance issues as well as teach about the local micro-lending climate.  Participants will get to hear from both microfinance professionals and clients in addition to enjoying lunch and a marketplace that is provided by local clients, all financed by local microfinance organizations. The afternoon mixer will provide an opportunity for to network with students, microfinance professionals, microfinance clients and more.

The Keynote address will be given by Yeardley Smith, Emmy award-winning actor, novelist and playwright who is best known as the voice of Lisa Simpson on the Emmy award winning television series The Simpsons.  She is passionate about microfinance.  As a donor and volunteer, she is  partnering with Grameen Foundation on a special initiative geared toward expanding microcredit and related services to those living on less than a dollar a day.  Yeardley will share her perspectives and experiences visiting with women in Haiti, both pre- and post-earthquake and address the impact of microfinance.

Attendees will also spend the latter part of the morning hearing from a panel of professionals that work in international microfinance organizations. Afternoon break-out sessions will provide the opportunity to learn about various aspects of microfinance in a bit more depth.  Two different hour-long sessions will allow for attendees to choose from the following break-out sessions.

1. Students In Microfinance – Learn about opportunities to become more involved in microfinance from students and alumni of San Diego Univervisities.  Learn about potential internships, job opportunities, and University Microfinance Clubs.

2. Microfinance In Academia - The Microfinance in Academia session seeks to provide an overview of the developments in microfinance as it pertains to research, curriculum, and community outreach endeavors in academia.  Panelists from four major academic institutions in the San Diego region (Point Loma Nazarene University; San Diego State University; University of California, San Diego; and University of San Diego) will provide their perspectives and will outline the activities taking place in their respective institutions with respect to microfinance and allied areas. The objective of this session is to stimulate conversations and to forge partnerships among institutions, practitioners, and the community.

3. Group Lending In San Diego – While many are familiar with Grameen Bank’s village banking model, rarely has it been successfully replicated in the United States.  Chris Nayve, Associate Director of The Center For Community Learning at the University of San Diego will team up with Elena Cruz of La Maestra to talk about the partnerhsip they have established and how providing $250 loans are changing the lives of women in San Diego.  Hear from several borrowers as they share their personal story and tell first-hand how the business training and microloan from La Maestra has empowered them in their communities.

4. San Diego Microlenders - Panelists from four local Microfinance Organizations will share about the work they are doing in San Diego, how they collaborate to work together, and some strategic partnerships they have formed.  Two clients that have been served by these organizations will present about their businesses, how they utilized funding from several programs, and how the local network of MF Organizations helped them to grow their business. This session will be an interactive panel with plenty of time for Q&A and discussion with the clients.

5. Investing In Microfinance: Pro-Poor or Pro-Profit? - As microfinance continues to evolve and mature as a financial industry, more public and private dollars are becoming available to microfinance institutions (MFI’s).  Some invest  in order to help reduce poverty, others simply for a return on investment.  Persons and institutions interested in ensuring that microcredit continues to serve the poor need to be careful about where they place their investments and financial support.  In this break-out session, Terry Provance, Executive Director of Oikocredit, USA will examine current trends in microfinance, social impact and responsible investing.

A final networking hour will give all attendees a chance to enjoy drinks, light appetizers, and interact with other students, business owners, microlenders, and members of the community.

CLICK HERE

to reserve your ticket today.

For questions and comments please email info@sdmicrofinance.org

View The Flyer

To see press coverage from the last year’s summit, click here.

One of the most promising developments I have seen in my travels in the last few years is the proliferation of mobile phones.  You could find them across the most distant reaches of India, and even in the poorest parts of Liberia you will find mobile phones and the towers that connect them to the world.  Though we in the west have seen a bazillion iterations of mobile phones, with gadgets from cameras to mp3 players, most phones in Liberia are still rather simple.  While some advanced technology has made it here, the vast majority of phones look just like the ones we used 10 years ago.  Don’t get me wrong, these phones aren’t without their technological advancements: their battery lives are extraordinarily long, they utilize built in LED flashlights (for frequent power outages), and they are quite durable. 

Mobile phones have made inroads in parts of the world that have been slow to modernize, like this remote village we visited in Nimba county near Guinea.  The combination of incredible functionality and practicality has contributed to their success.   One of the most exciting parts of mobile phone penetration in countries like Liberia though, is its relevance to economic development.  Mobile phones can not only connect families and friends torn apart by war and economically motivated migration, they can also serve as platforms on which to deliver new and valued services. 

Mobile technology is quite useful in the financial sector, handsets can be used as vehicles to transfer money, access accounts, make purchases, and pay bills.  Though many of these technologies are currently in the development stage, there are examples across the world of success stories, like ALW, M Pesa, etc.  In Liberia, the biggest mobile company, Lonestar already allows people to transfer money between phones, but they have yet to tie up with any banks and offer joint services.

Foundation for Women Liberia had an interesting meeting with Lonestar recently.  They are keen to get involved in these kinds of transactions, after all, more transactions equals more fees.  Interestingly enough, they had already honed in on another one of the mobile phone’s biggest benefits, its utility to small-scale producers in accessing market and weather information.  Lonestar had already started discussions with one of the largest banks in Liberia, Ecobank to tie up accounts and mobile phones.  As we are loyal Ecobank account holders, and see advantages in a partnership to utilize mobile technology. Hopefully we can move forward with the partnership.  Not only do FFW women across Liberia want phones to be in touch with their family and friends, their lives could be made so much easier if they could gather market information and make instant financial transactions using their handsets.  Here’s to hoping a partnership works out, and that technology’s benefits extend to the bottom of the pyramid in Liberia.

One of the most dramatic effects of the Liberian Civil War was the massive migration to Monrovia of displaced peoples from all over the country.  As various rebel groups pillaged and plundered throughout the Liberian countryside, rural Liberians found it harder and harder to live as they had in the past. As their small businesses and farms became merely targets for looting, people fled to Monrovia in search of security and the benefits doled out by international aid organizations like the World Food Program (WFP).  Of the 3.5 million people living in Liberia today, over 2 million of them live in Monrovia and the surrounding areas. 

Like in many other major cities in the developing world, this massive migration has resulted in stress on every kind of infrastructure, physical, governmental, societal etc.  Keep in mind this is infrastructure that in the very best case is 20 years old, and in the worst case was destroyed, distorted, or manipulated during the civil war.  As a result, the poorest Liberians are struggling to make do in an overrun city where living conditions are so bad that they often pose dramatic health risks.  Meanwhile, since peace has returned to the countryside, much of Liberia’s fertile and productive land has gone unutilized. It is odd to see that even the most basic food items like rice and eggs are imported from abroad.

On the “road” to my house last week, a bulldozer was going to work on all of the make shift structures and lean-tos that had grown into an illegal slum neighborhood.  People have grown accustomed to living in the city, even if they have done so illegally. After the war, money poured into Monrovia along with the promise of economic opportunity.  The U.N., international NGOs and other organizations have invested heavily into Monrovia of late, however, much of this wealth does not trickle down. My friend Myles has been documenting other kinds of opportunities available in the city, and they are meager for sure.  Perhaps the government “cleanups” of slums will encourage folks to move back to the countryside to work the land, and begin to provide food for the nation.  In addition to basic agriculture, the countryside is blessed with many other kinds of natural resources: timber, minerals, precious metals, and of course waves.  What will it take for people to realize the economic opportunity of the land their parents and grandparents left a generation ago?

In its work across the rural parts of Liberia, the Foundation for Women endeavors to provide economic opportunity through loans.  Many of our women borrowers are farmers, raise chickens, harvest palm oil, or participate other profitable rural activities that will help Liberia rebuild its own economy from the ground up.   Though it is only part of the puzzle (for example the roads must be rebuilt to make transport of food feasible), hopefully the provision of economic opportunity in rural parts will incentivize Liberians to move back to the countryside and escape the harsh realities of Monrovia.

Shopping in the commercial district of downtown Monrovia is eerie. Foreigners own almost every single business of note. The Lebanese presence here is strong, and their hold on commerce in the city is rather alarming. More recently Indian businessmen have moved in, but their presence here is less pronounced, especially compared to East Africa. Why doesn’t Liberia’s capital city boast Liberian-owned businesses you might ask?

Though I’m not an expert when it comes to the history, I do think there are some (relevant to microfinance) lessons to be learned from the cultural and social forces here. The story begins, so my friends have told me, when Liberian leaders started granting preferential trading rights to Lebanese traders decades ago. The deal they made was to have exclusive import / export rights, but no rights as citizens. For the Liberian political elite this meant that trade would flourish, but the traders and their wealth would not be a threat to the political status quo. Decades later, the Lebanese are quite successful, and you can find hummus just as easily as you can potato greens in this town.

As a descendant of Lebanese businessmen (and women) I have always been aware of the entrepreneurial nature of the Lebanese culture. Though I have not yet visited Lebanon itself, I know that this business ethic is instilled in Lebanese families throughout the world – from Beirut to Brooklyn. Historically, this makes sense. Since the time of the Phoenicians, Lebanon has been at the crossroads of east and west, and has been a dynamic trading power throughout the Mediterranean. For the sake of this post, how this ethic has been passed through generations and become a part of the Lebanese culture interests me.

Because I believe that the path towards the reconstruction of Liberia is through successful local enterprise, the challenge of nurturing local entrepreneurs is paramount. But, in a country like Liberia, where civil war interrupted school for 15 or so years (our office cleaner is 19 and is in 5th grade) and human capacity is lacking, how do we spread the spirit of entrepreneurialism? How do we teach the younger generation of Liberians what it means to succeed in business? In the case of the Lebanese, it comes from the family and the community, working in the family business, and being around the community of entrepreneurs. Yet Liberians will have to learn or re learn these skills after decades of living without a functioning economy. Even worse, the aid that sustained Liberians through the war, in many cases dulled their business sensibilities.

Yes, most folks are in business for themselves already. They have “small small” businesses, selling peanuts, fixing cars, selling donuts etc. Don’t get me wrong, microentrpreneurs are an important part of the economy here. They will be for a long time, but their jobs are insecure, and produce little excess income for their households. What I’m talking about are businesses that grow to scale, employ hundreds of people in stable jobs, and can withstand the kind of external shocks that are present in an economy like Liberia. In a country that hasn’t had a functioning economy for almost 20 years, how do you find and train the kind of entrepreneurs who can make these society stabilizing businesses happen.

The Foundation for Women does provide some business training before it gives its microloans. It educates women on how to run small microenterprises that generate household income. Generally this means a small provisions type shop, some type of farming, making charcoal something like that. A few women have already shown their ambition though. They have recently taken 500 USD (a large loan for local and international microfinance standards). They have restaurants and other more substantial “growth” businesses. Maybe they can be business mentors for other FFW women? Maybe FFW can recreate the family dynamic seen in communities such as the Lebanese? Witnessing the closeness of the women at their group meetings has been encouraging. It might be too early to tell whther this is possible in such a difficult economic environment, but I sincerely hope that the FFW family can provide the education, support and resources to build a family of successful women entrepreneurs. Liberia needs them!