My Volunteer Placement - WEECE

Blogging while overlooking the Grand Canyon!  Isn't technology great?!?!  Anyway, I Wanted to do a quick post on my placement over in Tanzania so you would all have a chance to see what I will be working on over the next 3+ weeks.  I am VERY excited for this opportunity!!

Your Volunteer Placement

Community Development - WEECE

Mission and Needs of the Partner Program

To support the marginalized women in Kilimanjaro region to achieve economic stability and gender equality through micro business loans, education, counseling and advocacy. Women Education and Economic Center (WEECE) is a non-profit organization started in 1999 by 3 women from the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. Currently the organization consists of 126 members.

Primary Projects of WEECE

Providing women who are operating existing businesses with financial assistance through micro-loans. This includes the provision of financial and small business education. Businesses include poultry and livestock keeping, tailoring, grocery and clothing shops, restaurants, street vendors and fruit and vegetable sellers.

Counseling and legal advocacy to lead towards gender equality to educate marginalized women in their human and legal rights. (e.g. inheritance rights, business training, advice on personal relationships, domestic violence, etc.)

Associated Activities

Tumaini Women’s Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (SACCOS)

This is a Kilimanjaro branch of the Tanzanian SACCOS set up by WEECE for its members which aims to provide a vehicle for women to save (which most have never experienced) through the repayment system of the micro-loans

Once a required amount of money has been saved, the women are then eligible to move their account from the local Tumaini SACCOS to the national SACCOS allowing them to borrow larger sums of money

Provision of a network of business women

Monitoring and provision of on-site business consultation

http://www.weece.org/


Volunteer Activities/Duties of Working Toward Women’s Empowerment

• Editing and distribution of the WEECE brochure
• Identification of where to distribute the WEECE brochure
• Marketing and selling of WEECE Cook Book of Tanzanian dishes to raise funds
• Working with the chairperson to contact potential local, national and international supporters
• Research and identification of potential financial donors (National / International) for WEECE to follow up with
• Editing 2005 – 2007 Strategic Business Plan

Other potential volunteer projects to be discussed with the chairperson could include:

• Informal marketing sessions with the women via brainstorming in small groups
• Informal basic English lessons
• Teach basic computer skills particularly Excel
• Assist the chairperson with ideas for Women’s Liberation booklet
• Future endeavors for eco-tourism and road planning

Goals of the Partner Program

Long-Term
To empower women through participation in economic development and education.

Short-Term
Assist Director with daily office functions of WEECE, help to identify new ways to improve systems.


I've included a few pictures from the WEECE website.  Please check out the website when you get  a chance to find more information about the organization.

Beauty Parlor Owner with Mama Mrema

 

 

Owner of Chicken and Duck Business