Investing in Women
Invest in women, accelerate progress was the theme this year for International Women's Day and we have been continuing this focus to help break the generational cycle of poverty.
Just a year ago, the Kisakyamukama Women's Group organized with a goal of learning weaving skills so they could begin to earn money to help support their children. You all helped get this group started with donations that funded their materials.
It was wonderful to visit them on my recent trip and see all they have learned and created. The women are incredibly hardworking, determined, and creative!
When meeting with our women's groups we look to them to tell us what is going well and their challenges. While the women have been able to earn and save over the past 12 months, their village is quite remote and it has been difficult to have customers for their crafts. The girls at our Buwudha Vocational Center are also having the same challenges of having enough customers for their products.
Annet has done a wonderful job organizing the women, and all voices are heard at their meetings!
After some discussion, the suggestion was made that renting a small storefront in Kamuli town, where there is a large population, would greatly increase sales. Kamuli has really grown in the past few years, and more tourists are also visiting.
This week, our team members Prossy and Annet developed a plan and budget and we're excited to be moving forward to make this storefront a reality!
The storefront and business will eventually be self-sustaining and will support 30 of our young women and their families. An added bonus is that the women will also be learning more business skills.
The women and girls are all busy making traditional mats, baskets, woven cloths and blankets, dresses, shopping bags, purses, and tablecloths to sell in their store. It's great to see how excited they are to expand.
The start-up budget is $985 and if you're interested in helping to support this project for women to be financially independent and support their families, it's easy to donate at www.ourclp.org/donate.
We know that investing in these women will accelerate their progress!
You all are an amazing community of supporters and we are so appreciative of how you come together to champion women and children!
With Gratitude,
Mary
P.S. If you know someone who would be interested in CLP, you are welcome to forward this email along to them!
