Womens Global Connection Of San Antonio

Programs: Incarnate word missionary:continued for the third year as the administering partner on behalf of the sisters of charity of the incarnate word for the incarnate word missionary (iwm) program. Received 5 applicants and placed 4 in peru and 2 in san antonio. Held orientation program for new missionaries, provided a mid-year retreat and end of year retreat for iwms, completed re-entry program with returning missionaries. Conducted service fairs at multiple universities and made presentations to classes and groups about the iwm program. Donated services (in-kind) received for 2017 amounted to $6,470

women's empowerment program:local programs: strengthened presence and nurtured partnerships at the university of the incarnate word (uiw) and in the greater san antonio community with a total of 176 presentations and events providing approximately 3,454 people with oppo1tunities to learn about wgc's mission and programs. Event displays and interactions at the university of the incarnate word included the red dress health fair, peace month, international fair and bazaar, internship fair, the festival of colors, and women's history month. Some of the community presentations and partnerships included st. Luke's episcopal school, universal city united methodist church, san antonio council for international visitors, raindrop turkish house, st. Anthony catholic school, and the university presbyterian church. Continued partnership with a local high school to develop understanding of another culture and complete student fundraising for a second rainwater harvester for the bukoba women's empowerment association (buwea) in bukoba, tanzania. Held 5th annual girls global summit as part of the future leadership san antonio program with 252 attendees including presentations by nearly 50 girls from 12 area middle and high schools, and from the local community. This program specifically promotes leadership education for girls and global citizenship. Eight high school interns and one uiw intern provided yearlong peer mentoring for the student girl groups who made presentations at the summit. Social media reached 8,884 people during the event. Staff and volunteers presented research and led discussions at the southwest fulbright association meeting and the american association of adult & continuing education. Three wgc scholarships totaling$ 3,165. 00 supported immersion trip volunteers to peru. Emlf -there were 15 new loans totaling $7,400 this year, 7 total loans were fulfilled, and 19 were still active by the end of the year. Planned and executed 3 immersion trips with 11 volunteers traveling to peru and 3 to tanzania. The united nations conference on the status of women: a san antonio perspective - the unique collaborative included family violence prevention services ceo marta b. Pelaez, women's global connection executive director dr. Lisa uribe, and myself, sr. Mrutha ann kirk, university of the incarnate word professor of religious studies. The three presented "women's empowerment through local leadership" on day four of the 12-day conference, and dr. Jessica kimmel, uiw professor emeritus and president of the world council of curriculum and instruction, gave a keynote speech. Global programs: buwea in tanzania built 2 additional rain hru-vesters to total 37 by year end with funding from wgc contributors. The 37 rain hru-vesters rue providing clean water for 4,500 villagers. They provided wash (water access and sanitation hygiene) training to villagers and others. With training from wgc and their own leadership, buwea continued to grow their microloan, soy, nutrition, ru1d women's business programs. Previous donations for buwea technology initiatives funded computer equipment, training, and other equipment for the women. The women in water and natural resource conservation group in kakamega, kenya continued to utilize the 2016 wgc training. Wwanc ventured into vegetable growing where they raise kale seedlings and sell to schools and individual customers. This has enhanced their income hence improved living standards. Rehema women group is the latest beneficiary to receive a seed grant of 50 usd to kick off the table banking initiative. The rehema women group procured 245 in usd savings which they intent to reinvest in another iga for the group. Wgc provided additional training and mentoring for the opportunity for women group, a new women's cooperative in the town ofbukoba made up of women relatives of the hekima girls secondary school. The group is sharing its learning with other women and working to strengthen their organization. Hekima girls secondary school - tanzania immersion trip team held 3 workshops for teachers at hekima secondary school to further cultivate relationship and teaching skills. They surveyed the area damaged by the past fall's earthquake and see how repairs are doing. Pushaq warmi members conducted workshops for women in and near chimbote, peru about self-esteem, family violence, health issues, and other topics. The pushaq warmi women continued to share information and resources at special events and in social justice groups. They also expanded to include a group of women in nearby cambio puente. Immersion trip volunteers visited the hospice clinic to evaluate the patients and educate them in regards to their nutritional needs. In the year's immersion trips to peru and tanzania, the total of 14 volunteers provided 52 educational workshops and trainings which directly impacted 959 and indirectly impacted 10,968 in-country individuals. Fundraising: annual gala fundraiser in honor of wgc's 16th year had 360 attendees and $43,492 in net proceeds. The $10,000 raised in 2016 for earthquake relief efforts in bukoba, tanzania was used to fix 22 houses and build 18 new homes. Generated global strategic partner donations and community involvement in wgc through friend raising gatherings and personal contacts. Participated in the fourth san antonio big give online giving program. The pr/development committee had set a goal of $5,000 raised from 60 donors and raised almost $6,000 from 67 donors. Received follow-up grant funding to continue training and assistance for all wgc programs in tanzania and kenya. Donated services (in-kind) received for 2017 amounted to $77,255

womens economic development:globalwgc supporters provided funding for 2 new global business partners in the pushaq warmi women's program in chimbote, peru and 1 partner in the buwea group in bukoba, tanzania. Pushaq warmi, through its artesanias and manualidades business collective produced and sold artisan products with ongoing consultation and capacity building provided by wgc. A wgc donor provided funding for a commercial sewing machine to help the women increase production. Wgc immersion trip volunteers provided hekima secondary school students in bukoba, tanzania and the opportunity for women group with additional entrepreneurship and business start-up training and consultation. Wgc continued to provide consultation on soy production and marketing to buwea, especially related to long distance marketing and bringing the soy patty product to market. Buwea developed new markets for soy products. They also improved the soy yogurt giving it prolonged shelf life and increasing sales. They marketed solar equipment to members on a loan basis to provide light, phone charging, and to help their neighbors. There was newfound success with terraced cassava plantings to meet demand in the area and neighboring countries. Buwea continued to provide milling plant services to process maize, beans, potatoes and soy in the village of kabale, further economically impacting the village and saving women money on these services. The milling machine ground 77000 kilos of maize compared to 64000 in 2016. 350 liters of milk were produced per week compared to the298 in 2016. 10,775 packets of cassava flour were sold. Wgc helped foster the growth ofbukoba women's empowerment association (buwea) to over 1,000 members with access to microloans and training. The ettling revolving loan fund of buwea made a total of 1,550 loans with a 99% retirement rate and 95% on time repayment. For the kenya women's group, wgc donors provided funds for animal grants and to build a fledgling microloan fund while a grant wgc received provided the seed money for a sewing machine for a women's business making reusable menstrual pads. The initial seeding of microloan funds by wgc has resulted in granting 3 new microloans to women business owners. Donated services (in-kind) received for 2017 amounted to $28,625