Microfinance Committee of San Diego Rotary Club 33 Funding Request for Guatemala Microfinance Project" Administered by Earth's choice and Women of Coffee Microfinance (WCMF)
September 2015
Earth's Choice/Woman of Coffee Microfinance (WCMF)is requesting $50,000 to grow it's Microfinance programs in Guatemala to be administered by the International Women's Coffee Alliance (IWCA) country chapter, and Rodrigo Barillas, member of Rotary Club _____
Earth's Choice/ Women of Coffee Microfinance has partnered with the (IWCA), to provide loans to women entrepreneurs who are creating or expanding their businesses. The objectives are to 1) increase their skills and income, 2) improve food security and 3) protect their coffee forests. We are using the proven Grameen Bank microfinance methodology to bring critical stability to women, their families and communities as these female entrepreneurs build profitable and sustainable businesses. The funds will provide seed money for a revolving loan fund to the IWCA Guatemala Chapter. Women coffee producers will have access to low interest group loans and pre and post-loan financial literacy and business training. The program targets women who have proven themselves as specialty coffee producers but who do not have access to financial services. We give women the opportunity to successfully manage a small loan from $200 to $400 in a group setting. One hundred percent of loans have been repaid so far, giving the women the skills and business background to take on larger loans.
IWCA consists of 18 chapters throughout Africa and Central America. These chapters consist of women producers, entrepreneurs and various representatives of the coffee industry. Earth's Choice was an early pioneer of organic fair trade coffee, whose CEO Karen Cebreros, is also co-chair of the Microfinance Committee of San Diego Rotary Club 33. It has become apparent to Earth's Choice that fair trade alone is not doing enough to ease poverty in coffee growing regions around the world. Accordingly, Earth's Choice helped organize Women of Coffee microfinance (WCMF), a 501(c) (3) that, among other things, provides microfinance loans to women coffee growers. WCMF started making loans in 2012 with the ADIESTO coffee cooperative in Huehuetenango Guatemala. To date, the loan recipients have repaid their loans 100% and have grown the portfolio by 10 %. Also in Guatemala, Earth's Choice is part of a partnership between Rotary International, Rotary Guatemala and WAKAMI to provide in-kind loans to rural women jewelry makers. WAKAMI lifestyle jewelry is made by some of the "poorest of the poor" and is sold in 25 countries around the world.
In September 2014, Earth's Choice began a partnership with a women's coffee cooperative "MASICH" in Chiapas Mexico to expand their textile factory. Earth's Choice has made another pioneering step by signing a "Memorandum of Understanding" with the International Women's Coffee Alliance to provide loans for IWCA chapters in 18 countries. Under this MOU, WCMF opened it's 1st loan programs in April 2015 with "Alianza de Mujeres en Café de El Salvador" (AMCES)." Alianza de Mujeres en Café de Colombia" (ALMUCAFE), is scheduled to open in October, 2015.
Problem. Small holder women coffee producers do not have access to affordable financial services; do not have consistent income streams and lack sufficient business skills to manage a loan and a growing business. The "poorest of the poor" in Latin American countries or those who live on less than $4.00 a day, 40% of who are women. These women coffee producers in Latin America are greatly affected by many issues such as deforestation, migration to urban areas for low paying jobs, drug trafficking, political unrest, land mines left from civil war and a current outbreak of Hemileia vastatrix or "coffee leaf rust" (la roya) that has reduced coffee production in Mexico and Guatemala by 40 - 65% respectively.
With these funds WCMF will be able to assist approximately 400 families
Completed
This project is "Completed". This means the project has been implemented and the report was accepted by The Rotary Foundation. The project will stay listed on this website as a testimony of the achievements of the project partners.
Project listed for the 2016-17 Rotary Year.
The TRF Grant application number is #1752790.
Proposed Financing
Existing Contributions Towards This Project
Date
Cash
DDF
Total
Escondido (5340)
28-Sep-15
$2,000
$2,000
$4,000
San Diego (5340)
10-Dec-15
$5,000
$2,000
$7,000
El Cajon Sunset (5340)
1-Jan-16
$6,000
$6,000
$12,000
San Diego Downtown Breakfast (5340)
1-Jan-16
$4,000
$0
$4,000
Guatemala de la Ermita (4250)
1-Jan-16
$500
$0
$500
Amount Requested from The Rotary Foundation
$8,750
$10,000
$18,750
Total
$46,250
DDF contributions in grey are pending approval of the corresponding district committee.
Note: as of July 1, 2015 there is a 5% additional support fee for cash contributions. This fee does not appear in the financials above because it does not apply if the funds are sent directly to the project account (without going through TRF, and therefore without Paul Harris credit). Clubs sending their cash contribution to TRF must be aware they will have to send an additional 5%.
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History Log Entries
31-Aug-15
System Entry
Creation of project page.
28-Sep-15
System Entry
Pledge of $2,000 by Johnny Watson of the Rotary Club of Escondido, District 5340.
10-Dec-15
System Entry
Pledge of $31,334 with $5,000 DDF by Maureen gray of the Rotary Club of San Diego, District 5340.
10-Dec-15
System Entry
Project is now "Fully Pledged".
10-Dec-15
System Entry
Project reverted to "Published".
10-Dec-15
System Entry
Pledge of $5,000 by Maureen gray of the Rotary Club of San Diego, District 5340.
21-Dec-15
System Entry
Pledge of by Maureen gray of the Rotary Club of San Diego, District 5340.
31-Dec-15
System Entry
Pledge of $26,334 with $2,000 DDF by Johnny Watson of the Rotary Club of Escondido, District 5340.
31-Dec-15
System Entry
Project is now "Fully Pledged".
1-Jan-16
System Entry
Pledge of $6,000 with $6,000 DDF by Richard Makau of the Rotary Club of El Cajon Sunset, District 5340.
1-Jan-16
System Entry
Project reverted to "Published".
1-Jan-16
System Entry
Project is now "Fully Pledged".
1-Jan-16
System Entry
Pledge of $2,000 with $2,000 DDF by Karen Cebreros of the Rotary Club of San Diego Downtown Breakfast, District 5340.
1-Jan-16
System Entry
Pledge of $5,000 by Maureen Gray of the Rotary Club of Guatemala de la Ermita, District 4250.
11-Jan-16
by Marge Cole
Rotary District Foundation Committee approved $6000 DDF match to El Cajon Sunset; $2000. to San Diego Downtown Breakfast Club; $2,000. to Escondido Club on January 11, 2016 for this grant.
18-Apr-16
System Entry
Application Sent to The Rotary Foundation through Member Access.
11-Jul-16
by Maureen gray
The final total budget amount of this grant is $47,750
The finance page needs to show an Additional 1,000 that has been pledged by the Chula Vista RotaryClub. I am not able to add it to the finance page due to technical difficulties. Will adjust as soon as possible.
The 47,750 is the final amount submitted to RI
Thank you so much,
maureen gray
21-Aug-16
by Maureen gray
Great news: Our project has received Approval from Rotary International.
17-Nov-16
by Maureen gray
System Entry: Application approved by The Rotary Foundation.
28-Feb-17
by Maureen gray
Guatemala de la Ermita/Rodrigo Barillas, our host Club dropped out at the last minute. We have secured a new partner, Club Nueva Guatemala. Our contact is Jesus Palomo. I am redoing the Global Grant application to reflect the change, and will be submitting it today. We are excited about working with our new Rotarian partners.
22-May-17
by Maureen gray
We received Final Approval from TRF on May 2nd. We should be fully funded any day.
Maureen
17-Aug-17
by Maureen gray
Fully Funded
Project is up and running!
16-Nov-17
by Maureen gray
This project has been fully funded, and up and running since Spring, 2017.
19-Mar-18
by Maureen gray
System Entry: Payment has been issued by The Rotary Foundation.
19-Mar-18
by Maureen gray
System Entry: Final Report sent to The Rotary Foundation.
19-Mar-18
by Maureen gray
System Entry: Final Report approved by The Rotary Foundation.