Colleen is a staff member at the Mission Office. She is the Website Editor and the Coordinator for the Holy Childhood Association.
 NBC Nightly News is sure headed in the right direction on reporting the world’s news! I was thrilled to catch yet another fantastic story on the “Making a Difference” series on January 25th – and, like my last blog, it was about the difference people are making in Bolivia. This particular story explained how small monetary loans are being given to women in the developing world, in order to give them a chance to work their way out of poverty and better their lives – specifically, how one non-profit organization called Pro Mujer (“Pro Woman” in Spanish) is helping women entrepreneurs around the world. Pro Mujer is a non-profit, international microfinance and women’s development network, whose mission is to “provide Latin America’s poorest women with the means to build livelihoods for themselves and futures for their families through microfinance, business training, and healthcare support.” Pro Mujer was founded in Bolivia in 1990 by Ms. Lynne Patterson, an American schoolteacher, and Ms. Carmen Velasco, a Bolivian professor. The two women had a passion to help the poor women of Bolivia, so they worked on developing a program in that country that would address the issues of self-esteem, health, and access to steady income. As Pro Mujer evolved, it established its presence not only in Bolivia, but also in Argentina, Peru, Nicaragua, and Mexico, along with two small offices in New York City and Bolivia, which work to support, strengthen, and expand the Pro Mujer organization.
 As the news story played out, we followed two Bolivian women during part of their workdays. Both women had received loans from Pro Mujer. We were given a glimpse into their everyday lives, and saw how their lives were changed because of Pro Mujer. The first woman, Florencia, works at a mini-mart, as well as a bakery, or “panadería”, providing fresh baked goods to stores and restaurants in El Alto, Bolivia. She rises at 4:00 a.m. and works 20-hour workdays between the two jobs. She had received an $80 loan to help get her business established. (The average loan for a woman in Latin America is $236. Ninety-nine percent of the women repay their loans.) The second woman, Santusa, works at a meat market, or “carnicería”. She oversees a work force of eight employees, including her husband. Both of the women are extremely happy and grateful that they are now able to work and make a life for themselves and for their families.
While things have worked out wonderfully for Florencia and Santusa, they still represent only a fraction of the women entrepreneurs in developing countries who are trying to better their lives. Fortunately, in their case, they were given a chance and are now on their way. But, there are so many more women out there who are not as lucky – women who are capable … strong … intelligent – yet don’t have the opportunity to let that capability, strength, and intelligence shine through. How can we help them? What can we do?
Fortunately, there are people and organizations who do care about these women, and who want to give them the chance that they deserve. As for the women whose lives are changed because of Pro Mujer, it’s clear that a loan and a job isn’t all that the women receive – they receive so much more. They are able to take part in classes to develop their business skills. They are able to gain access to daycare and healthcare for their families. They experience emotional and psychological changes, showing them that they ARE strong, capable, and beautiful, and that they DO have worth. Many of the women believe that the loans are the “first tangible signs that someone believes in them.” I think that in itself is the most wonderful and inspiring thing that could ever happen.
I hope that many others were touched by this story, just as I was. It’s fantastic that women in places like Bolivia (as well as other developing countries around the world) are finally being given a chance. I think it’s so important to encourage and support them, and to develop ways in which they can reach their goals. It’s a gigantic step in confirming how strong, capable, and beautiful these women are – inside and out – and that they are truly valued and believed in.
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