Last Meeting Nov 25 - Vocational Training Team Honduras Micro Credit

Last week, we had a very special guest "via Skype" Elly Contreras, our Past District Governor. Elly was part of the District 5370 Vocational Training Team that went to Honduras in April 2014, to assist a Rotary supported micro-finance operation.  Their team was led by Donna Ducommun, a retired banker, and Edmonton Glenora Rotarian. Her presentation focused on what value they brought to the loan recipients and the lending organization.

 

Honduras is one of the most impoverished countries in America, with consistent 25% unemployment, which affects women proportionally hard.  Donna's group worked with "Fundacion Uniedo America, an Rotary action organization funded by Rotarians, which provides micro loans anywhere from $100 to $3,000. The emphasis of the program is on better training and marketing for the participants. With the majority of the loans being to women, the "Market Mothers" program keeps kids in school, while the mothers gain valuable business skills   There are numerous success stories that show that micro loans are a cure for poverty in developing countries. The VTT group spent signficant time with the local organizers, sharing their experiences, skills, and focused on ways the program could be even more effective.

 

With potential for expanding this Rotary program to another country in the near future, this is another example of the Rotary Foundation at work linking the skills of Rotarians and non-Rotarians with International needs.