 Sister Ethel Normoyle was the keynote speaker at the 2006 Rotary International Convention in Copenhagen, and at the 2008 Foundation Seminar in San Diego.
Missionvale is a shanty town in the outskirts of Port Elizabeth South Africa, created by the ugly legacy of apartheid which had forcibly displaced thousands from their homes to this barren land. Sister Ethel arrived in 1988 and founded the Missionvale Care Center to initially serve as a clinic and school for the poor and destitute population. Soon this was expanded to include a nutrition center, a library, a clothing warehouse, a primary school and a skills training center for self-help projects (eg. gardening, carpentry and crafts). Students at the sewing and carpentry units have developed sufficient skills to make products for sale, such as dog beds, therapeutic pillows, shoes and garden furniture.
Missionvale has a population of about 120,000, whereby 80% are unemployed and over 75% are infected or affected by HIV/Aids. To plan for a better future, the growth of the adult education and skills development programs are essential. In 2007, 27 crafters and 25 gardeners were making a sustainable living. Another 18 students were training in the carpentry unit. The availability of micro finance services, including microcredit to finance budding entrepreneurs, will be another key tool to alleviating poverty in this community.
This grant will provide the seed capital needed to fund an initial microfinance operation at Missionvale. The funds will mostly be used to provide micro loans (microcredit facilities) to budding entrepreneurs at Missionvale who have the required skills and motivation to start or grow their own micro enterprise. An established micro finance institution will be brought in as a partner to manage and grow the microfinance operations. |
