Progress Update from Youth African Alliance

Loriane, 12

“My group has helped me to have more confidence in myself; I meet other girls with whom I share a lot of things.”

Diana, 34, Treasurer of her Group

“I am so proud and so grateful to be a member of my group and for all the support and lectures we receive. I am a housewife and I have not had the opportunity to go to school or to receive any training, I used to rely on my husband for every need. Now, I generate some income from the various designs of chains, bangles and other jewelry that I produce and I am able to support him in our home.”

Brendaline, 30

Brendaline received a microloan of $45 USD. She now has a vegetable and small food items stall. She supports her family, pays for necessary medication and her children’s education.

Sandra, 16

“I am a student. I was sponsored by the African Youth Alliance to learn how to produce jewelry with paper and plastic beads. I now volunteer to train other women and girls of the association. I love interacting with everyone and I am also happy to be able to generate some income.”

Martha, 23

“I am grateful for all the skills and mentoring I have received so far in my group. We have learned how to do various things, like making powder soap, body lotion, baking cakes, beads, and more. We discuss various subjects like goal setting and leadership that are very helpful for my personal development.”

Elizabeth, 25

“I am very excited about the computer training. A part from learning Word, Excel and Powerpoint, we learned how to use social media to advertise our products and to look for opportunities. I am so happy to have this opportunity to learn new skills, they will be very useful for my studies and small businesses I do.”

Yvonne, 35

Yvonne benefited from a microloan of $90 USD. She started a business where she rears and sells fowl. The credit assistance and her business has made it possible for her to support her husband in finishing the renovations of their house and her family, including payments for her children’s education.

In January 2018 Rockflower invested in a partnership with the Youth African Alliance in West Cameroon. The project was specifically designed to provide basic literacy and social entrepreneurship skills to highly marginalized young women with the outcome being potential for employment and improved quality of life. 70 women and girls are participating in three separate groups. 

The groups meet twice a month and provide safe discussion spaces for the young women to improve their skills through peer mentoring. 

These new skills include soap and body lotion production, arts and crafts, baking and the production of reusable sanitary pads. The girls have also been learning basic accounting and computer literacy which can be used for social entrepreneurship and school.

The overall dialogue has contributed to a sense of empowerment for the young women in being free to express challenges and offer solutions.

Check out our social media platforms to see firsthand accounts from members of the Youth African Alliance.

Instagram: @rockflowerfund

Twitter: @RockflowerFund

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SPRIT Empowering Single Women Through Credit Assistance

SPRIT has partnered with Rockflower for over a year now and has been steadily progressing towards their goal of self reliance for single women located in the coastal villages they focus on in India. Their economic empowerment projects include: seaweed cultivation, fish vending and making thatched roofs with coconut leaves.

Members meets monthly to monitor and evaluate their progress and distribute the credit assistance they provide. 12 women from three coastal villages received assistance.

Mariammal, a single, 45 year old, was one of two women who received a loan of Rs. 5,000 (rupees) (equivalent to approx. $68 USD) for coconut leaf products to make a segment of thatched roof. Previously, Mariammal would buy one leaf for 3 rupees and sell the completed product for Rs. 10 each. With the assistance of her loan, she can now make 20-25 completed products and earn around Rs. 250 in a day. Mariammal is “planning to put a sales centre at roadside to get more orders and earn more money. [She is] very grateful to SPRIT and Rockflower for the financial support for [her] livelihood.”

Coconut Leaves

Thatched Completed Product

Rockflower Launches Campaign to Expand Women Owned Business in Nicaragua

In the summer of 2017 Rockflower partnered with Casa Congo, a fast growing international conservation movement with a social enterprise and based in Astillero, Nicaragua, to provide funds and expertise to expand The Women's Collective at El Astillero. Las Tejedoras or "The Weavers", a group of women established in 2007, are the founding members of this Collective and have proven their skill and ingenuity in creating a business that to date has recycled over 400,000 plastic bags discarded on the streets and beaches of Astillero to create beautiful bags, hats, wallets, and other products. Their slogan, “Una Bolsa Más, Una Tortuga Menos” translates to “One More Bag, One Less Turtle.”

Casa Congo has a vision to empower the local community through environmental and cultural conservation, through the four pillars of Ecology, Ocean Advocacy, Built Environments and Place Making.

The Rockflower/Casa Congo partnership will act as a gardener to facilitate the growth of The Women's Collective through the provision of access to credit and micro loans, educational workshops and collaborative endeavors. In order to learn, gain confidence and expertise, and increase their potential for economic empowerment, the women need support' not only through investment, but in developing business and marketing models to maximize their amazing entrepreneurial spirit. 

This campaign is raising funds to build upon an earlier investment in The Tejedoras Juice and Smoothie Bar, an idea which this determined and inspired group of women brought to life in December of 2017.  

Now they are ready to take their vision to the next level. The expansion will consist of:

• Bicycle powered juice blenders ("Blender Bikes")

• Solar Panel System

• Expanded venue size and outdoor seating area

• Refrigeration, water filtration, and composting systems

• Cash register

Support the Women’s Collective of El Astillero by visiting our campaign page.

This fundraiser is being led by Rockflower Youth Advisor and Casa Congo team member Francesca Ward and assisted by Casa Congo volunteers Cobo Alvarez de Toledo, Hannah Rikeman and Bianca Acland. 

Eliminating Poverty Through Entrepreneurial Training of Young Women

80% of Kenyans live in rural areas, where unemployment is high and access to financial services limited. In Kisumu county, formal financial inclusion stands low at 25% in rural areas where women and youth are marginalized the most. Although a growing number of financial institutions are working to promote the growth of small businesses, often they do not lend to women for lack of entrepreneurial skills.   

Rockflower partnered with Jiwo Paro, a community based organization working to eliminate poverty by expanding access to capital, education, and entrepreneurial opportunities for women and youth in resource impoverished areas in Kenya. Entrepreneurship training will allow participants to join a network of fellow entrepreneurs from whom they will continue to curate their business and financial management skills.

Support the Kisumu County Women Entrepreneurship Project by visiting our campaign page.

The campaign is led by Rockflower Youth Advisory Board Members Lulu Ward and Connor West.