Nest is a nonprofit organization that empowers female artists and artisans around the world. Using a unique combination of interest-free microfinance loans, mentoring from established designers, as well as a market in which to sell their crafts, Nest helps its loan recipients create successful small businesses. Nest instills pride of ownership, preserves ancient artistic traditions [...]
Tag Archives: Microcredit
Profile: Vanderbilt University Center for Latin American Studies
Posted by Laura on April 3, 2010
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In 2006, The Vanderbilt Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) was designated a National Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Education. While maintaining one of the strongest concentrations of Brazilianists of any university in the United States, the Center’s renowned faculty also has particular strengths in Mesoamerican anthropology and archaeology, the study of democracy [...]
Profile: Hope Alliance
Posted by Laura on April 1, 2010
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Transforming Critical Need into Sustainable Change The mission of The Hope Alliance is to empower impoverished people with the skills and tools they need to create positive change in the lives of their families and in their villages. The Hope Alliance also educates and exposes volunteers to the situation of those in developing countries. The [...]
Profile: CasaSito
Posted by Laura on March 24, 2010
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CasaSito increases educational opportunities in rural areas of Guatemala so that indigenous people living in poverty can attend school, receive quality instruction, and obtain the skills they need to improve their lives. CasaSito has two approaches for addressing educational needs, depending on location. In the Department of Sacatepéquez, they offer scholarships and work closely with [...]
Profile: Thirteen Threads (Oxlajuj B’atz)
Posted by Laura on March 9, 2010
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Thirteen Threads (Oxlajuj B’atz’) provides training and educational opportunities to Maya women’s groups throughout rural areas of Guatemala. More than 400 women in 22 groups currently participate in the project. They organize workshops, classes, and community follow-ups, as well as host two interns per year through their Young Mayan Women Internship Program What does the [...]
Profile: Thirteen Threads (Oxlajuj B'atz)
Posted by Laura on March 9, 2010
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Thirteen Threads (Oxlajuj B’atz’) provides training and educational opportunities to Maya women’s groups throughout rural areas of Guatemala. More than 400 women in 22 groups currently participate in the project. They organize workshops, classes, and community follow-ups, as well as host two interns per year through their Young Mayan Women Internship Program What does the [...]
Profile: MADRE
Posted by Laura on February 22, 2010
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MADRE is an international women’s human rights organization that works in partnership with community-based women’s organizations worldwide to address issues of health and reproductive rights, economic development, education and other human rights. They provide resources and training to enable their sister organizations to meet these goals by addressing immediate needs in their communities and developing [...]
Profile: The Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG)
Posted by Laura on January 25, 2010
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The Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG) helps individuals and communities get affordable and environmentally sound access to electricity, sanitation and clean water. Through a combination of business incubation, education, and outreach, they help people get technology that will better their health and improve their lives. Many rural communities and urban shantytowns in developing countries do not [...]
Profile: Partners in Development
Posted by Laura on January 21, 2010
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Serving the Poorest of Poor in Developing Countries Partners in Development, Inc. (PID) strives to help the extreme poor attain independence and whole life improvement. PID combines a variety of programs to achieve community transformation in places where hope is often lost in the cycle of poverty. Through child sponsorships, small business loans, housing opportunities [...]
Profile: MayaWorks
Posted by Laura on December 10, 2009
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MayaWorks is a 501(c)3 non-profit that markets the work of Maya artisans who otherwise have no outlet for their handiwork. As a proud member of the Fair Trade Federation, MayaWorks pays artisans at prices they set, provides technical assistance and educational opportunities and meets other Fair Trade criteria. What makes MayaWorks Unique: MayaWorks is much [...]
Profile: HELPS International
Posted by Laura on October 8, 2009
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HELPS International is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that partners with individuals, businesses, corporations, local and national governments to alleviate poverty in Latin America. HELPS integrated programs include: medical care, education, community and economic development, and agricultural innovations in order to improve the quality of life for the indigenous people of Latin America. HELPS International was founded in 1984 as a 501(c)(3) [...]
Profile: As Green As It Gets
Posted by Laura on September 25, 2009
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As Green As It Gets™ is an incubator for small Guatemalan businesses. They provide training, technical services, marketing and financing to hard-working proprietors who need a push in the right direction to lift themselves out of poverty. They place a strong emphasis on protecting the environment and land restoration as an integral part of business management. They [...]
Profile: Namaste Direct
Posted by Laura on August 24, 2009
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Namaste Direct is committed to alleviating poverty in rural communities of Guatemala by providing impoverished women entrepreneurs with microcredit loans along with a personal business mentor, vocational training workshops and informal business education. Conventional wisdom has it that there are four barriers to escaping poverty (defined as less than $2 a day income per household [...]