Help A Women's Small Business Project in Vanuatu!

This is for those of you who want to just keep reading about Vanuatu on this blog...

I'd like to pass on some information about a project a friend of mine is working on through a program called Peace Corps Partnership. It is a great way for you folks at home to participate in the crazy stuff we do out there on the islands...this one is to complete a Women's Business and Education Center for a women's group that sells woven baskets and handcrafts.



This project is close to my heart because I stayed in this village for two weeks last year and it was definitely one of the highlights of my Peace Corps service.

These families welcomed me into their community and were amazing participants in my Hygiene & Sanitation and Reproductive Health workshops.




These women are industrious, talented and committed and the organization they have developed is one of the most successful small business projects I've seen (certainly partly due to the awesomeness of their Peace Corps Volunteer Blake.)

General Details

Community Contribution- $1303.64US (31% of total budget)
Original Request- $2786.47US

Women artisans in this part of Vanuatu have been organized since mid-2006. Currently the women’s group is compromised of approximately 40 women who are working in collaboration with a local fair trade organization. The vast majority of their products are baskets woven from the leaves of the pandanas tree. This provides them with their livelihood and the ability to provide their families with necessities such as soap, matches, food, and school fees. However they have been functioning without adequate facilities since they began. Now this group is facing a growing demand for the center to work in and store all of their products and materials. Pressure increases with the rising interest of more women desiring to take advantage of this opportunity. The leaders of this group have voiced this need and have developed a floor plan for an appropriate building to cater to their needs, as well as those of the women they serve and the entire community. Let’s help them achieve their dream.

To donate, click here!

For more details, keep reading Blake's Semi-Detailed Project summary...

"Your donations will contribute to the construction of this center in the village I am living and working in, Qatamele. This building is intended to provide appropriate facilities for the women artisans in the surrounding communities to manage their small handcraft business with a comfortable and appropriate place to conduct business, store products, and to provide materials to highten the awareness of women's/child's rights/etc. Due to the infrequent use of the this building (once every two weeks for business purposes) it will alternatively serve the communtiy's various needs. The building itself will be big enough to comfortably hold approx. 30 people for classes, workshops, sunday school, housing for visitors, fundraisers etc... The women's group and community will contribute primarily with locally avaliable resources as well as a portion of the construction costs.

A portion of the project's money will go towards furnishing the facility and managing the project. Items are cash boxes, containers to store/protect handcrafts, a filing cabinet for records, stools, tables, particle boards for posting announcements, etc. Approximately $400US will be placed into the groups revolving fund to directly purchase handcrafts from the women easing the burden of waiting for delayed payments for these products. It will increase the existing fund to $1,000US and when payment is received this fund is replenished."

Once again, to donate click here! .

And feel free to contact me with any further questions...