Economic Empowerment for 200 Women in Nicaragua

During one of the most recent capacitaciones (trainings) both SHI micro-credit officers, Yolanda and Aracelly, traveled to each community that had beneficiaries currently in the micro-credit program. While visiting homes, Yolanda and Aracelly noticed there were many women nearby in the community curious to witness some of the skills being taught in one of the demonstrations in the trainings. The SHI officers invited the women in, and the group of women spent the day learning several business and resource skills that would benefit some of the local women's small enterprises.

Some of the women that were in the training session that day had been with the SHI micro-credit program for a few years. Aracelly and Yolanda met with them and taught them how to start community banks so that the women could learn to grow their own profits, while at the same time, be able to receive higher loans. The women were excited to learn about the ability to still maintain their relationship with the micro-credit officers and receive consulting if needed, but also to have the ability to achieve self-sufficiency while still receiving helpful skills training.

A few weeks later, the two micro-credit officers returned to the small, rural community of Las Azucenas to host a beauty workshop for the daughters of the micro-credit beneficiaries. The officers wanted to demonstrate that the girls could also be a part of the program by helping their mothers and feel pampered. By teaching the girls how to do their own hair and makeup, they could spend less at high-end salons in the area for services for major life events, such as quinceaneras and weddings. They learned how to trim, style, and brush their hair. The girls were eager to learn the different styles and spent the day practicing on each other. The teen girls and their mothers would then use these skills to generate income by charging others in the area small amounts to do their hair.

The two micro-credit officers had the women of Las Azucenas come to the training center for a third visit later that month to help them in a different way- their health. Thirty women came from the area to participate. The two officers worked alongside a doctor and a nurse from the local Ministry of Health. They taught the women when to seek immediate help from a doctor, and the different signs they can use to help with prevention of breast and uterine health, as well as sexual infections. Five women came forward with symptoms to seek help and learn how to better care for their bodies. Mammograms were performed for free for the women who attended. The training then followed a visit to the Laurel Galan Health Center, so that the women could also receive a pap smear test. Our country program director, Jorge, provided transportation for the women and drove each of them to and from the clinic to the training center. The Nicaragua SHI staff also used one of the new and improved stoves to cook all of the women a lunch after attending the training sessions. The SHI staff said they felt satisfied knowing that the women were not only receiving help to improve their economic obstacles, but also receive basic important services to improve their health so that they can face any obstacle in life. The women ended the training in thanks, and said they now feel comfortable visiting the clinic when they need to after meeting the doctors that day. The capacitaciones were a success!