Women for Women International Funds Community Based Projects in Colombia, Summer 2004


Women for Women International granted funding to four different women groups in Colombia for their community proposals. Women in the program, initiated, designed, and will implement each of the projects. These women have also been participating in rights awareness and leadership training based on A Woman's World, Women for Women International's training manual, and brainstorming in groups to develop community income-generating and improvement projects.



Cajamarca Woman Group 1

In Cajamarca, the first group of 20 women came together and decided that plastic bag production would be a successful project. Cajamarca is an agriculture and trade center, with many markets, stores and restaurants. The woman saw that many of these businesses used bags and needed a convenient place to purchase them. Together they designed a business plan and budget to purchase the equipment they need to begin their project. They will produce different size bags and plan to produce 500 a day. Their goals are to become the best business in town, remain united, produce high-quality goods, and to improve their families' living condition.



Cajamarca Woman Group 2
A second group of women in Cajamarca have decided to create a fruit pulp business. Since Cajamarca is an agricultural center, there are many family orchards and fruit vendors in the area. One of the women in the group began processing fruit pulp to use the fruit that was unable to be sold. She has equipment to process the fruit pulp and has been teaching other women how to do it. The fruit pulp can be used for a variety of things, including juices, preserves and canning for later use. The women propose to process 1,200 pounds of fruit pulp a month and to sell it to vendors in the area. They believe this project will help women work towards a better future, increase fruit consumption in the area and offer another outlet for agriculturists in the area.



Association of Women of Ibagué

A group of 31 women got together to form this Association in 2002. Together they have worked in their community as community mothers and as leaders on the community board. They have also organized raffles and selling tamales and empanadas to generate additional income. Now they have developed a plan to establish workshops to help them and others learn skills they need to generate a stable income. Their plan is to conduct 12 workshops in 4 different areas: Embroidery, Jewelry Making, Manicures and Pedicures, and Stone-Doll Making. The women determined these would be the most profitable in their surrounding communities. They also chose a variety of skills that interested them and they felt would be sustainable in the long-term. In addition to skills training, the women also want to continue their discussions on social issues, such as family violence, women and politics, and women and the economy. The Association of Women of Ibagué hopes to turn this project into a shelter for abused women after establishing themselves in the community.



"Rovira al Progreso con la Mujer" (Community Restaurant of Rovira)
A group of 20 women in Rovira proposed a community restaurant with the goal of improving nutrition for their families. The women will be employed in the restaurant preparing food for the community. They have three main goals for the project: provide 50 daily luncheons to the families of the women's group "Rovira al Progreso con la Mujer"; improve the nutritional conditions of the 20 families of the women's group "Rovira al Progreso con la Mujer "; consolidate themselves and project themselves as a group through joint work with principles of unity, respect, love, confidence and responsibility. The women also hope to engage other women and members of their community by providing training in nutrition and food preparation.