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TIAW and its Colorado affiliate, The Alliance of Professional Women, are planning to launch two Village Banks in Mexico April 3-7, 2003. It’s a fabulous opportunity for our members to see first-hand how women are making a difference for their families and communities with small $150 loans. During our stay, we’ll experience life in two different villages in Mexico. Last year, The Alliance (Colorado) raised USD $10,000 to open two Village Banks in Mexico and challenged the rest of TIAW to match their fundraising efforts. We succeeded and raised USD $20,000 to support four Microfinance organizations. We opened our first two banks last fall and had the opportunity to meet women who were on their second and third cycle of loans. “We met one woman who epitomizes the success and importance of this project,” said Patricia Foley Hinnen, Program Chair of TIAW’s Microenterprise Committee. “She used her first loan to start selling tacos out of the back of her truck and her second loan to open a meat market in her village. She is proof that this program works and does so much for the women, their families, and the communities they live in.”
We’ve combined the launching of these banks with a weekend of fun in San Miguel de Allende. On Friday, April 4, we will launch the first of the two Village Banks with local partner Pro Mujer Mexico in Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico. We will meet the women who will receive our loans and participate in the opening ceremonies. After the opening, we head to San Miguel de Allende. A designated historical landmark since 1930, the town has preserved its colonial heritage by banning new style construction, neon signs, and other heralds of “modernization”. Please visit their Web site at http://www.internetsanmiguel.com.
On Monday, April 7, we launch our second Village Bank in Cuernavaca, again meeting the women and participating in the opening ceremonies. Our local partner for this bank is FINCA, the Foundation for International Community Assistance, a past partner with TIAW in other Village Bank projects.
These trips are always a moving, inspiring, and unforgettable experience. We hope that you can join us. For more information, please contact Karen Rosen at 303-368-4747 MT or by e-mail at execdir@apwcolorado.org.
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