Maria Shriver and The Women's Conference, continuing their efforts to promote the economic empowerment of women, are partnering with Kiva to bring microlending to the U.S.
For the first time ever, and for as little as $25, Americans can lend to women entrepreneurs right in their own backyard. WE Invest, a program of The Women's Conference, already has been investing in women entrepreneurs in California, linking them to business training, mentoring and a support network to give them the tools to start or expand their own businesses.
Now WE Invest is partnering with Kiva, the world's first person-to-person microlending website (www.kiva.org), created to empower individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe. This new venture will allow us to empower thousands of women across America to become more financially independent, showing that every loan - even $25 - can make a real difference and change a life.
For more information on how you can become involved in WE Invest, please email Margaret Lyons at mlyons@weinvest.org.
Impact of Team Maria
- Number of Team Members 380
- Number of Loans 334
- Number of Loans per Member 0.88
- Total Amount Loaned $10,700.00
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Chris
Vancouver British Columbia, CA
Ofelia Zapata Zapata
Piedras Negras, Mexico
Raising Funds 40% raised
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The Alaska Pack
http://KivaFriends.org Anchorage, AK, US
Sean and James
San Francisco, California, United States
Raising Funds 17% raised
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Michael
Charlestown MA, US
Rosa Maria Lopez Calero
Managua, Nicaragua
In Repayment 100% raised
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Haizu Truong
Denton TX, US
Pedro
Manhattan, New York, United States
Raising Funds 14% raised
Vision
The Women's Economic Empowerment Program supports organizations and unleashes the entrepreneurial spirit of each and every woman.
For the first time ever, American women make up half of all workers and are becoming the primary breadwinners in more families.
Women suffer more in a bad economy than men do. Of the 47 million uninsured Americans, the majority are women, including single women ages 18 - 64. 26% of women in poverty are single with dependent children.
Typically, women entrepreneurs are more likely to employ women, thus providing jobs, not only for themselves, but for other women.
Research shows that women are more likely to spend their income on food, education and healthcare for their children -- giving families a lasting path out of poverty.
The Strategy
The program supports organizations that help California women overcome socialand economic barriers in their journey out of poverty. California is fortunate to have a large number of economic empowerment programs, all workng ot provide the women and families of this state with the tools and resources they need to move forward and achieve financial self-sufficiency. The Women's Conference has identitfied a core group of non-profit organizational partners that represent the values, program objectives and strategies of WE Invest.
Program Partner: Women's Initiative for Self Employment
Women's Initiative for Self Employment, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization in Northern California, brings 100 Okaland women currently living in poverty into the program that provides a holistic and comprehensive approach to moving women to prosperity and on to starting their own businesses. They will receive business training, financing, mentoring, coaching and access to a vast network of support services and supportive sisters. The program has an increasing track-record of moving women along the path to self-sufficiency, with the average woman increasing her yearly income by $10,000 within the very first year of graduating.
Program Partner: Community Financial Resource Center (CFRC)
We will partner with the Community Financial Resource Center in Watts, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, to connect low-income women to financial counseling and services to increase the economic wealth and capacity of families living in that community. They provide programs that promote home-ownership, financial counseling, business development assistance, technical assistance and business technology training.
Program Partner: Women's Economic Ventures
We will partner with Women's Economic Ventures, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, to serve low-income women in Ventura County and help link them to the 14-week, 54-hour self-employment trainign program that includes business counseling, facilitated peer groups, personal development, literacy training, mentoring and start-up microloans.
