Donor Spotlight: Mark McMahon and “Changing the Chip” in Nicaragua

By Mark McMahon, Pro Mujer Donor Since 2004

The expression that we most heard on the first Velasco & Patterson Society (VPS) Encuentro in Nicaragua was ”cambiar el chip” or “change the chip”. This was the code phrase for what Pro Mujer in Nicaragua (PMN) is doing for their more than 37,000 clients – a virtual transformation of what women in Nicaragua see as possible and an approach in their lives! This transformation is being led by Gloria Ruiz, the PMN Country Director who oversees a staff of over 200. But I must say that she not only leads it, because the entire staff that we came in touch with during our brief, two-day whirlwind tour had the transformation embedded in their DNA and work diligently to ensure that they spread that message to all who they come into contact with.

We started Monday with an introduction by Gloria. I have never seen someone so enthusiastic presenting an agenda for a visit! She not only spoke from her heart but from her soul. You could tell that this was going to be a remarkable and memorable experience for all of us.

Here I am giving some observations about the takeaways.

This was followed by PMN staff introductions, showing a wide range of specialties and each one talking about the goal of transforming women’s lives.

Here I am with my partner Roberto Moreira speaking with Co-Founder Carmen (in brown) and Lynne (in blue).

The donors present then introduced themselves. Present were the President of the Tinker Foundation, Stan Eisenberg and Mary Jones, individual donors, representatives from Citibank Nicaragua and the Weberg Foundation. Everyone’s support for PM and its mission was as strong as the staff’s love for the organization.

We finished the morning with a presentation of PM Nicaragua’s operation, its growth and expansion over its15 years of existence and where it is today. What came out loud and clear was that the approach is threefold.

• First the women are supplied with loans to ensure their financial stability.
• This is followed by intensive training, with the goal of moving the clients pride up quite a few notches.
• The third step involves healthcare, including PAP smears, blood pressure monitoring and blood sugar tests. The statistics are impressive. In over 9,000 PAP smears given since 2010, over 2,300 tested positive and were sent for follow-up exams. The results for high blood pressure and blood sugar levels were equally impressive.

The afternoon started with a presentation on the health care focus of PM given by Dr. Gabriela Salvador, the Health and Human Development Director for PM’s global team based in the U.S. This was extremely informative on where the program is and where it is going. We then toured the Leon focal center. We got to see the facilities as well as meet with the professional staff; there are over 8,000 clients serviced in this focal center.

The rest of the afternoon was deeply emotional. We heard from Elsa Sosa, a PM employee who spoke on how working for PM has helped change her life. She was able to escape from an abusive relationship. The woman was so eloquent in her elaboration of her situation, spousal abuse and degradation, and how with the support of PM staff and clients she was able overcome her problems and reconstruct her life. I must admit, there was not a dry eye in the room after this brave woman’s remarks.

The last discussion of the day was by eight PMN client leaders. All I can say is WOW. These women are creating the future for this country. It was amazing to hear these women talk about how PMN had changed their lives. What was even more encouraging to me was to hear how they are truly grateful for all that PMN offers them, and this is not limited to micro-finance. That appears more of a tool or lure for these women to look inside themselves and find their inner strength. They do this through their groups and credit officers.

These client leaders have limited if any formal education, but talked about their children who are now doctors, lawyers, teachers and administrators. It was funny to note that several of the women never even talked about what they use the loan money for, but what it has brought them. One woman said that when she started she didn’t have a house to live in. Now she has three!

What really showed me the strength of the program was that after the presentations were made, one of the women asked for the floor, and said that although they were very grateful for all that PMN had done for them, there were still several things that needed to be addressed such as a bigger loan for the group. Now that took courage, and that shows the strength of the program because she had the courage to get up and say things could be better. We ended the day with some great local food and music.

The next day was equally exciting, informative and emotional. We visited another communal bank that was held in the house of one of the clients.  This was a newer group, but no less enthusiastic.  It was great to hear the women relate their experiences and how much Pro Mujer means to them and their families.

Our last visit was to the house of a client, María Concepción Moran.  This I must say was for me the most emotional experience of the entire trip.

Maria Concepción related the hardships of growing up, living in a plastic and corrugated packaging house with her mother.  When she got married she had no place to live and built her own shanty with her husband.  She said how her and her daughter would wait outside a local business to get corrugated cartons to use as walls and roofing for her house.  She mentioned that whenever it rained the little bit of furniture that she had floated in the rain and everything got dirty because the dirt floor turned into mud.  Her husband was laid off from work and their only source of income was what she made by ironing clothes.

Someone told her about Pro Mujer and she went to a meeting, entered a group and took out her first loan without her husband knowing about it.  She used to proceeds from the loan to buy goods to open a small store in the front of her house.  Since then she has expanded her store, and last year took out a construction loan from Pro Mujer and put up concrete walls.

Maria Concepción said that she used to be afraid of the rains and now she is waiting for her first rainy season in her house.  Her husband also spoke on how Pro Mujer had changed her life, their lives.  Next her daughter spoke, and talked about how their lives had been transformed because of Pro Mujer.  Maria Concepción also took advantage and had a Pap smear and she was detected with uterine cancer.  She is scheduled to be operated on this week.  Once again, what we saw was a woman who learned to have pride in herself, a husband who learned to respect his wife and a family who was united behind their struggle to lift themselves out of poverty.

Several times during the trip, it would have been so easy to write a check to these women, but the Pro Mujer way is like the parable in the bible, teaching the women to fish instead of giving them the fish.  This was so evident, so many times, be it from the leadership, the staff or the clients.

What did I take away from the trip? CHANGE! The way that PM has helped these women change, transform their lives and that of their families. I came back changed, reinvigorated and even more committed to the vision and mission of Pro Mujer.

Pro Mujer in Nicaragua Hosts Inaugural Velasco & Patterson Society “Encuentro”

By Josh Cramer-Montes, Director of Communications

EN·CUEN·TRO    [En-KWEN-tro]
From the verb encontrar
1. m. (reunión) a meeting, encounter: un encuentro entre amigos / a meeting among friends

On March 5^th and 6^th, key Pro Mujer supporters from around the world came together to participate in an inaugural trip for the Velasco & Patterson Society’s (VPS) in-country Encuentro series. Named after Pro Mujer’s Co-Founders Lynne Patterson and Carmen Velasco, VPS is a diverse group of philanthropic leaders dedicated to raising awareness of and financial support forPro Mujer’s work, enabling impoverished Latin American women to break the cycle of poverty.

Pro Mujer staff, clients, VPS members and supporters.

VPS’ Encuentros are a series of in-country meetings where key supporters are able to visit our operations, interact with staff and clients, and see how their donations are being invested.  Our donors truly are investors;numerous studies have shown that women reinvest 90% of their income in their households. In this way, empowering women creates a multiplier effect.

The daughter of a Pro Mujer client comes to a communal bank meeting with her mother.

Joining us on this trip were longtime Pro Mujer supporters, including: Stanley Eisenberg and his partner Mary Jones; Renate Rennie, Chairman and President of the Tinker Foundation; Gail Bradley, representing John and Jacque Weberg of The Weberg Trust; Mark McMahon and his partner Roberto Moreira; Claudia Valle, General Counsel and Compliance Officer for Citi Nicaragua; and her colleague Enrique Gasteazoro Elizondo from Citi’s Public Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility division.

Nicaragua was the first country outside of Bolivia (where Pro Mujer was founded in 1990) that Lynne Patterson and Carmen Velasco selected to advance their mission of helping empower Latin American women living in poverty. They founded Pro Mujer in Nicaragua (PMN) 15 years ago, and since then, the organization has disbursed more than US$122 million dollars through 487,000 small loans to Nicaraguan women entrepreneurs, who borrowed an average of $250. Over the course of two decades, PMN has provided Nicaraguan women with 64,460 educational workshops covering a variety of subjects including communications skills, sexual and reproductive health and domestic violence, and has performed 77,767 health consultations.

Pro Mujer nurse Maria Teresa Centeno

While PMN has done a great deal to advance the wellbeing of economically marginalized women and their families, there are many more women who still need to be reached. Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere after Haiti; 48% of its 5.7 million inhabitants live below the poverty line, and a staggering 80% subsist on less than $2 per day.

As in many other developing countries, women comprise the majority of Nicaragua’s economically marginalized population. Of the 70% of the population that works in the informal sector – which includes jobs such as selling fruits and vegetables on the side of the road, running a convenience store out of a home – 75% are women. A relatively high proportion of Nicaragua’s homes have a woman as head of household: 39% of urban homes and 28% of rural homes.

A Pro Mujer client.

Despite the many hardships facing its people, there is something almost mystical about the country, a feeling I had the first time I traveled there and one rekindled during this visit. Perhaps it’s the vibrant and persevering spirit of Nicaraguans in the face of those challenges,as well as the rich culture, warm climate and beautiful landscape.

The first day of our trip begins with inspirational welcome remarks by PMN Country Director, Gloria Ruiz. Although she is just over 5’0 tall, Gloria hasa large presence and is a leader in the truest sense of the word. She faced poverty and gender discrimination as a child, and eventually earned a degree as an Agricultural Engineer, a male-dominated profession in her country. Gloria is a mother to three grown children, a grandmother to a new grandson, and has been married for 28 years. She joined Pro Mujer 15 years ago as its first credit officer and todayshe is Country Director. Gloria is truly an inspirational force with whom to be reckoned; you can read more about her inspirational journey in this International Women’s Day profile piece from Nicaragua’s El Nuevo Diario.

A communal bank leader in León counts her group’s loan repayments.

Following Gloria’s presentation, we head over to our Leon center. Dr. Gabriela Salvador, MD, MPH, our Director of Health and Human Development who oversees our global health program, gives the group a presentation on our health pilot program and explains how Pro Mujer is addressing the increasingly serious issue of chronic disease. These diseases include hypertension, diabetes, sexual and reproductive health problems, and breast and cervical cancers, and are pandemic within the segment of the population we serve.

Dr. Marta Garcia in one of the consultation rooms of the Pro Mujer clinic.

Afterwards, we move next door to the new wing of the center, a beautiful, colonial-style building with a lush garden in the center, 20-foot ceilings and beautiful wood paneling and detail throughout.

The new wing (behind the three large wooden doors and the two garage doors to the left) of the Leon center made possible by Pro Mujer supporters.

Here we meet with local team members to learn their personal stories, how they came to work for Pro Mujer and how the lives of their clients, as well as their own, have changed. Their stories are both funny and moving, but one speaker really stands out. Elsa Soza is an Expansion Specialist who has been with Pro Mujer for eight years. She relates the story of how she was born into poverty and abuse. As an adult, that abuse changed hands and continued until she was finally able to break the cycle a little over a year ago. You can read her first-person account as told to the group by clicking here.

Gloria Ruiz leads the discussion between Pro Mujer supporters and international staff members (left) and local employees (right).

Eight client leaders then shared their personal testimonies, telling us about the challenges they faced when they first came to Pro Mujer and how much their lives have changed since.

Communal bank leaders share their stories of challenges and triumph.

All of these women were born into poverty. Many had limited access to education, were victims of domestic violence and were raising their children alone. Despite these obstacles and as a result of their hard work and perseverance, their children are attending university and becoming doctors, lawyers and engineers. This new generation, the one they helped raise and educate, will be the generation that helps rebuild Nicaragua.

As Mark pointed out, “It was funny to note that several of the women never even talked about what they use the loan money for, but what it (Pro Mujer) has brought them.” It was everything else that they received – the safety and supportive environments of their communal banks and the interactions they shared with their fellow members, workshops in business development, communications skills and women’s rights, and the recurring theme that they are a worthy investment – that was really important to them.

Some of the things clients said were truly powerful:

“They didn’t give me money; they gave me ideas, strategies to help myself.”

 “Thanks for showing us that we can help ourselves.”

The evening closed with a traditional Baho, a dinner of typical Nicaraguan food including beef, plantains and yucca wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Traditional music played in the background and we sat down to share a meal with the client leaders and staff.

On the morning of Day 2, we found ourselves shadowing one of our mobile credit officers, Rosa María Ramirez. Rosa is about 25 years old and beams with positive energy. She spends her day crisscrossing the rough, rural roads around Leon on a dirt bike in order to attend to her clients.

Rosa María Ramirez begins her day.

Pro Mujer credit officers traverse rough roads day in and day out. Now imagine it during the rainy season.

Some of the areas where these credit officers go are isolated and dangerous and they try their best not to stand out, which is why they don’t wear anything that says Pro Mujer. Even though they don’t carry money, bandits often think they do. To ensure their safety, credit officers call in or send a text message every time they depart from and arrive at a communal bank meeting.

Our first visit of the day is to a communal bank called Divina Pastora. The group consists of approximately 20 women who are in their 25^th loan cycle, which means that they have been with Pro Mujer for approximately 12 years. They are particularly proud of the fact that they have been with Pro Mujer for so long, as they are among the pioneering women of microfinance in Nicaragua. It is a particularly special day for them as Lynne and Carmen will be sitting in on their meeting.

It’s always heartwarming to see how our client’s faces light up when they actually meet Lynne and Carmen. For many of our clients, they are like mythical figures that they’ve only heard about in stories. When we arrive, we are greeted with a red and white tape that Lynne and Carmen are to cut. Carmen makes a joke and tells the group, “I bet you didn’t think we were real!”

Carmen and Lynne cut the ceremonial ribbon for the beginning of the Divina Pastora’s meeting.

VPS member Mary Jones bonds with a client.

After the meeting we have a chance to ask the women questions and learn more about their experiences. At the end of our time with them, the women of Divina Pastora share homemade candies with us and send us on our way with sandwiches and something to drink for the journey ahead.

From L to R, VPS member Stanley Eisenberg; Lynne Patterson; Jason Wu, Director of Development, Individual Giving and the person who oversees the Velasco & Patterson Society; Carmen Velasco; and Stanley’s partner, Mary Jones.

Our last visit is to a client named María Concepción Moran.  I first heard María Concepción’s story last June, when my colleague Yolanda Bravo sent me a blog post of an interview she did with her. The post, which you can read here, is a first-person account as to how her life changed as a result of a housing loan she received from Pro Mujer. I remember the before and after pictures and I knew her story well, but I must admit that sitting in her backyard and listening to her tell her story in person  is far more powerful.

 María Concepción in the convenience store she runs out of her home.

Neighborhood children stand outside of her store.

Like so many women we spoke to on this trip, she talks of the hardships of growing up poor. As an adult, she and her husband lived in homes made of plastic and cardboard boxes that she and her children would pick out of the trash to use for walls and a roof.

What María Concepción’s home used to look like.

For years they lived in miserable conditions. The slightest drop of rain would come straight through the roof. When the torrential rainstorms of Nicaragua’s wet season would arrive, the cardboard roof would often collapse and the dirt floors of their home would turn into rivers of mud. Things only got worse when her husband was laid off from work and their only source of income was what she made from ironing clothes.

A friend told her about Pro Mujer. After attending an informational session in 2010, she took out her first loan of $133. She used the proceeds from the loan to buy goods to open a small store in the front of her house.  Since then she has expanded her store and put up concrete walls.

Today, María Concepción’s life – and that of her family – is brighter. When asked how she has changed, she responds, “I have more confidence and now my husband respects my decisions.” She used to be afraid of the rain but this year she chuckles and says that she’s looking forward to the rainy season so she can laugh at it under her new roof. “For my family and me it was one of the happiest moments…to know that we were not going to get wet anymore when it rains.”

Then, María Concepción throws us all a curve ball. Just when things seem to be going so well for her, she tells how us how a Pap smear performed at one of our health clinic came back positive for pre-malignant uterine cancer. Fortunately it was detected early and the prognosis seems relatively good. In fact, she was going in for surgery the following week.

From L to R, Gloria Ruiz, María Concepción’s son, Lynne Patterson, María’s husband and daughter, María Concepción and Carmen Velasco stand in front of the family’s brick walls.

Just before we leave, María Concepción’s daughter (center) asks for a group picture to remember the visit.

It was an emotional visit but one that left us all feeling very happy. It was incredible to see how with the right opportunities, one client’s life can change completely.

The VPS’ first Encuentro left us all hopeful for the future. We were able to learn from one another and it was a true testament to what we can accomplish together. As the American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”

Stay tuned for more information about the next Encuentro. For more information about the Velasco & Patterson Society or to learn how you can get involved, please contact Jason Wu at 646-626-7000, x108 or via email at jwu@promujer.org

All Photos Courtesy of Pro Mujer.

Pro Mujer en Nicaragua Celebra el Encuentro Inaugural de la Sociedad Velasco & Patterson

El 5 y el 6 de marzo importantes amigos de Pro Mujer de todo el mundo participaron en el Encuentro inaugural de la Sociedad Velasco & Patterson (SVP). La Sociedad llamada como las Co-Fundadoras de Pro Mujer Lynne Patterson y Carmen Velasco, es un grupo diverso de líderes filantrópicos dedicados a crear conciencia y a apoyar financieramente el trabajo de Pro Mujer de romper el ciclo de la pobreza de mujeres empobrecidas de América Latina.

Personal de Pro Mujer, clientas, miembros y partidarios de la Sociedad Velasco & Patterson.

Los Encuentros de SVP son una serie Personal de Pro Mujer, clientas, miembros y partidarios de la Sociedad Velasco & Patterson de reuniones en nuestros países donde nuestros partidarios pueden visitar nuestras operaciones, interactuar con clientas y personal y ver cómo sus donaciones están siendo invertidas. Nuestros donantes son verdaderamente inversores. De hecho, numerosos estudios han demostrado que las mujeres reinvierten el 90% de sus ingresos en el hogar. De esta manera, el empoderamiento de la mujer crea un efecto multiplicador.

La hija de una clienta de Pro Mujer participa de una reunión de banco comunal con su madre. 

También participaron de este viaje partidarios de Pro Mujer de mucho tiempo, incluyendo a Stanley Eisenberg y su pareja Mary Jones; Renate Rennie, Presidenta de la Tinker Foundation; Gail Bradley, quien representa a John y Jacque Weberg de la Weberg Trust; Mark McMahon y su compañero Roberto Moreira; Claudia Valle, Consejera General y Reguladora de  Nicaragua Citi; su colega Enrique Gasteazoro Elizondo, de la División de Asuntos Públicos y Responsabilidad Social Corporativa de Citi.

Nicaragua fue el primer país fuera de Bolivia (donde Pro Mujer fue fundada en 1990) que Lynne Patterson y Carmen Velasco seleccionaron para avanzar su misión de ayudar a empoderar a las mujeres de América Latina. Pro Mujer en Nicaragua fue fundada hace 15 años y desde entonces, la organización ha desembolsado más de US$ 122 millones de dólares a través de 487.000 pequeños préstamos a las emprendedoras nicaragüenses, prestamos promediando US$250 dólares. En el transcurso de dos décadas, PMN ha proporcionado 64.460 talleres educativos que abarcan una variedad de temas incluyendo destrezas de comunicación, salud sexual y reproductiva y violencia doméstica y ha realizado 77.767 consultas de salud.

Enfermera de Pro Mujer, María Teresa Centeno.

Si bien PMN ha logrado mucho mejorando el bienestar económico de mujeres marginadas y la de sus familias, hay muchas más mujeres que todavía necesitan ser alcanzadas. Nicaragua es el segundo país más pobre en el hemisferio occidental después de Haití; el 48% de sus 5,7 millones de habitantes viven por debajo de la línea de pobreza, y un asombroso 80% subsisten con menos de 2 dólares al día.

Como en muchos otros países en desarrollo, las mujeres constituyen la mayoría de la población marginada económicamente de Nicaragua. Del 70% de la población que trabaja en el sector informal en puestos de trabajo como la venta de frutas y verduras del lado de la carretera o despensas operadas en los hogares, el 75% son mujeres. Una alta proporción de hogares en Nicaragua tienen una mujer como cabeza de familia: 39% de los hogares urbanos y el 28% de hogares rurales.

Una clienta de Pro Mujer.

A pesar de las muchas dificultades que enfrenta la gente nicaraguense, hay algo casi místico en este país. Es un sentimiento que tuve la primera vez que viajé allí y se reavivó a lo largo de esta visita. Tal vez sea el espíritu vibrante y perseverante de las nicaragüenses marcado por los retos citados anteriormente, así como la rica cultura, clima cálido y hermoso paisaje.

El primer día de nuestro viaje comienza con comentarios inspiradores de bienvenida hechos por la Directora de PMN, Gloria Ruiz. Con sólo 1.50cms de altura, Gloria tiene una gran presencia y es un líder en el sentido más auténtico de la palabra. Ella superó una infancia de pobreza y discriminación de género para obtener un título como ingeniera agrícola, una profesión dominada por los hombres en su país. Hace quince años, Gloria se unió a Pro Mujer como la primera asesora de crédito y en la actualidad, además de ser madre de tres hijos adultos, abuela de un nuevo nieto y casada por 28 años, es Directora de Pro Mujer en Nicaragua. Gloria es verdaderamente una fuerza inspiradora; puede leer más acerca de su vida en el perfil escrito por El Nuevo Diario.

Líder de un banco comunal cuenta los repagos de su grupo.

Después de la presentación de Gloria, nos fuimos al centro de León. Gabriela Salvador, MD, MPH, nuestra Directora de Servicios de Salud y Desarollo Humano quien supervisa nuestro programa de salud global, le dio al grupo un recorrido de nuestro programa piloto de salud y explico Cómo Pro Mujer está abordando el problema cada vez más grave de las enfermedades crónicas. Estas enfermedades incluyen hipertensión, diabetes, salud sexual y reproductiva, cánceres de mama y cervicales y son pandémicas dentro del segmento de la población que servimos.

La Dra. Marta García en una sala de consulta de las clínicas de Pro Mujer.

Después, pasamos al lado la nueva ala del centro, un edificio hermoso, de estilo colonial con un jardín en el centro, techos de 6 metros y hermosos paneles de madera con detalles.

La nueva ala (detrás de las tres grandes puertas de madera y las dos puertas de garaje a la izquierda) del centro de León fue posible gracias a los partidarios de Pro Mujer.

Aquí nos reunimos con miembros del equipo local para conocer sus historias personales, cómo llegaron a trabajar para Pro Mujer y cómo las vidas de sus clientas, así como sus propias, han cambiado. Sus historias son divertidas y conmovedoras, pero una de ellas sobresale. Elsa Soza es un especialista en expansión que ha estado con Pro Mujer durante ocho años.Ella relata la historia de cómo nació en la pobreza y el abuso. Como adulto, el abuso cambio de manos y continuó hasta que ella pudo finalmente romper el ciclo hace un poco más de un año. Puede leer su historia relata por ella misma haciendo clic aquí.

Gloria Ruiz dirige el debate entre los partidarios de Pro Mujer y funcionarios internacionales (izquierda) y locales empleados (derecho).

Ocho clientas líderes compartieron sus historias personales. Una por una, se levantaron para contar sus desafíos cuando llegaron a Pro Mujer y cuánto han cambiado sus vidas desde entonces.

Líderes de Bancos Comunales comparten sus historias de desafíos y triunfos

Todas estas mujeres nacieron en la pobreza. Muchas tenían limitado acceso a educación, fueron víctimas de violencia doméstica y tuvieron que criar solas a sus hijos. A pesar de estos obstáculos y como resultado de su arduo trabajo y perseverancia, sus hijos ingresaron a la universidad y se convirtieron en doctores, abogados e ingenieros. Esta nueva generación, la que ayudaron a criar y educar, será la generación que ayudará a reconstruir Nicaragua.

Como Mark señaló, “Fue interesante observar como varias mujeres nunca hablaron de como utilizaron el dinero del préstamo, pero si hablaron de lo que Pro Mujer les ha brindado”. Fue todo lo que recibieron: la seguridad y el apoyo de sus bancos comunales, las interacciones que compartieron con sus compañeras, los talleres de desarrollo de negocios, habilidades de comunicación y derechos de la mujer y el tema recurrente que son una inversión digna, lo que realmente importa.

Algunas de las cosas que dijeron que las clientas fueron verdaderamente poderosas:

“No me dieron dinero; me dieron ideas, estrategias para ayudarme a mí misma.”

“Gracias por mostrarnos que podemos ayudarnos a nosotras mismas”.

La noche se terminó con un tradicional Baho, una cena de comida típica nicaragüense incluyendo carne, plátanos y yuca que están envueltos en hojas de plátano y cocinados al vapor. Había música tradicional tocando de fondo y pudimos sentarnos y compartir una comida con las clientas líderes y el personal.

En la mañana del segundo día, nos encontramos siguiéndole a una de nuestras asesoras de crédito móviles, Rosa María Ramírez. Rosa tiene unos 25 años de edad, tiene una radiante sonrisa y energía positiva. Ella pasa su día cruzando las difíciles calles rurales alrededor de León en una moto para poder atender a sus clientes.

Rosa María Ramirez empieza su día.

Asesoras de Crédito de Pro Mujer atraviesan estas calles difíciles todo el día. Imagínense durante la temporada de lluvia.

Algunas de las zonas donde van las asesoras de crédito están aisladas y son peligrosas. Las asesoras intentan de no llamar la atención por lo que evitan usar atuendos con el logotipo de Pro Mujer. Aunque no acarrean dinero, los bandidos piensan que sí lo hacen. Para garantizar su seguridad, las asesoras de crédito llaman o envían un mensaje de texto al salir o llegar a una reunión de banco comunal.

El primer banco comunal que visitamos, se llama Divina Pastora. El grupo está conformado por aproximadamente 20 mujeres que se encuentran en su ciclo número 25 de préstamo, lo que significa que el grupo ha estado con Pro Mujer aproximadamente 12 años. Están particularmente orgullosas de haber estado con Pro Mujer por tanto tiempo. Son unas de las mujeres pioneras de las microfinanzas en Nicaragua. Es un día particularmente especial para ellas ya que Lynne y Carmen han participado en su reunión.

Es siempre conmovedor de ver cómo las caras de nuestras clientas se iluminan cuando conocen a Lynne y a Carmen. Cuando llegamos, nos saludaron con una cinta roja y blanca que Lynne y Carmen tendrán que cortar. Para muchas de ellas, Lynne y Carmen son como figuras míticas de quienes han escuchado hablar. Carmen hace una broma y dice al grupo, “¡Apuesto que pensaban que no existíamos!”

Carmen y Lynne cortan la cinta ceremonial al principio de la reunión con Divina Pastora.

Mary Jones miembro de SV&P abrazando a una clienta.

Después de la reunión, pudimos hacerles preguntas y aprender más acerca de sus experiencias. Al final de nuestra vista, las mujeres de la Divina Pastora compartieron dulces caseros, bocadillos y algo de beber para continuar nuestro viaje.

De izquierda a derecha, Stanley Eisenberg miembro de SV&P; Lynne Patterson; Jason Wu, Director de Gestión de Fondos, Donaciones de Individuos y la persona encargada de supervisar la Sociedad Velasco & Patterson; Carmen Velasco; y la compañera de Stanley, Mary Jones.

Nuestra última visita fue para conocer a María Concepción Moran. La primera vez que escuché la historia de María Concepción fue en junio del año pasado, cuando mi colega Yolanda Bravo me envió un blog de una entrevista que le habían hecho a ella. Para leer el post, haga clic aquí. Allí Maria Concepción relata cómo cambió su vida después de un préstamo de vivienda. Recuerdo las fotografías de su casa de antes y después de las renovaciones. Inclusive conociendo bien su historia, reconozco que escuchar su historia de su propia boca en su patio, fue mucho mas impactante.

María Concepción en la pequeña tienda que opera desde su casa.

Los niños del barrio enfrente a su tienda. 

Al igual que tantas otras mujeres con quienes hablamos durante este viaje, ella habla de las dificultades de crecer pobres. Ella y su esposo vivían en casas hechas de cajas de cartón que ella y sus hijos recogían de la basura para usarlas como paredes y techo.

Así se veía la casa de Maria Concepción antes.

Durante años vivieron en condiciones miserables. La más mínima gota de lluvia entraba directamente a través del techo. Cuando llegaban las lluvias torrenciales, a menudo se derrumbaba el techo de cartón y los pisos de tierra de su casa se convertían en ríos de lodo. Las cosas sólo empeoraron cuando su marido fue despedido de su trabajo y su única fuente de ingresos venia de sus planchados de ropa.

Una amiga le habló de Pro Mujer. Después de asistir a una sesión informativa en el 2010, llevó a cabo su primer préstamo de $133. Ella utilizó el préstamo para comprar mercancías y abrir una pequeña tienda en el frente de su casa. Desde entonces ha ampliado su tienda y ha puesto paredes de cemento.

Hoy en día, la vida de María Concepción – y la de su familia – es más positiva. Cuando se le preguntó cómo ella ha cambiado, ella respondió, “tengo más confianza y ahora mi esposo respeta mis decisiones”. Ella solía tener miedo de las lluvias, pero este año ella se ríe y dice que ella está deseando que llegue la temporada de lluvias para poder disfrutarla bajo su techo nuevo. “Para mi familia y para mí fue uno de los momentos más felices…saber que no nos íbamos a mojar con la lluvia.”

Luego, María Concepción nos sorprende. Justo cuando las cosas estaban mejorando, después de haberse hecho una prueba de Papanicolaou en una de nuestras clínicas de salud, se le detecto células pre malignas en el cuello cervical. Afortunadamente fueron detectadas temprano y el pronóstico parece relativamente bueno. De hecho, ella iba a ser operada la semana siguiente.

De izquierda a derecha, Gloria Ruiz, el hijo de María Concepción, Lynne Patterson, el esposo y la hija de María, María Concepción y Carmen Velasco parados en frente a su pared de cemento.

Justo antes de partir, la hija de María Concepción (en el medio) le pide al grupo una foto de recuerdo.

Fue una visita emocional porque nos dejó a todos sintiéndonos muy felices. Fue increible de ver como la vida de una clienta puede cambiar completamente gracias a estas oportunidades.

El primer Encuentro de SVP nos dejó a todos con muchas esperanzas para el futuro. Aprendimos unos de otros y fue un verdadero testimonio de lo que podemos lograr juntos. Como dijo una vez el antropólogo cultural estadounidense Margaret Mead, “nunca dudes de que un pequeño grupo de ciudadanos considerados y comprometidos pueden cambiar el mundo. Verdaderamente, eso es lo único que lo ha logrado.”

Manténganse atentos para obtener más información acerca del próximo Encuentro. Para obtener más información acerca de la Sociedad Patterson y Velasco o para saber cómo usted puede participar, póngase en contacto con Jason Wu al teléfono 646-626-7000, extensión 108 o a través de correo electrónico jason.wu@promujer.org

Todas las fotos son cortesía de Pro Mujer.

Voices from the Field – A Look Back at 15 Years of Pro Mujer in Nicaragua

By Yolanda Bravo, Marketing Manager, Pro Mujer in Nicaragua

Pro Mujer Co-Founders Carmen Velasco (left) and Lynne Patterson (right) present Gloria Ruiz (center), Country Director of Pro Mujer in Nicaragua, with an award for 15 years of dedicated service to the organization.

In late December, Pro Mujer celebrated 15 successful years of service to the women of Nicaragua.

Founded on July 31^st, 1996, Pro Mujer in Nicaragua (PMN) was the first country outside of Bolivia (where Pro Mujer was founded in 1990) that Lynne Patterson and Carmen Velasco entered in order to expand their mission to alleviate poverty and help women realize their potential as agents of change. Over the course of the last 15 years, PMN has continued to strengthen its operations, and has made enormous progress in providing financial, training, and health services to an increasing number of Nicaraguan women.

PMN has consistently ranked among the top 100 microfinance institutions in an annual report carried out by the Interamerican Development Bank (IADB) and the Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX). In 2006, the World Bank’s Poverty Alleviation Program presented it with an award for financial transparency. In 2007, MicroRate named PMN one of the “Best Microfinance Institutions with Social Programs.”

All of this was made possible in large part because of the inspired, unwavering and expert leadership of Gloria Ruiz. She began her career as a Credit Officer at Pro Mujer in Nicaragua in 1996, and moved through the ranks to eventually become Country Director in 2002. This breadth of experience has a real influence on her work as the leader of Pro Mujer in Nicaragua.

Over the course of the last 15 years, Gloria and her team have faced countless obstacles in their path to realize Lynne and Carmen’s dream to improve the lives of women. Since Gloria became country director, PMN’s portfolio has increased by US$7 million, and its client base has grown by 22,000.

Born into a poor family and raised in a male-dominated society, she witnessed domestic violence as a child and survived the atrocities of the Nicaraguan Revolution, which lasted more than 15 years.

When she was 12, her stepfather forced her to quit school, as he saw no value in investing the earnings from her mother’s business in her education. She even met resistance from her mother as she pursued her professional goals. Gloria remembers,

‘When I finished high school, I decided to study agricultural engineering. My mother said, ‘Agriculture is for men. You should study to be a secretary or a teacher.’ However, I didn’t want to be the secretary of an engineer or the teacher of an engineer’s children. I wanted to be the engineer.”

In spite of so many challenges and obstacles, Gloria remained firm in her vision for the future. Today, Gloria has a master’s degree in Microfinance, is a certified agronomist, and is a leader in her community. She also serves on the Board of Directors for ASOMIF, the Nicaraguan Association of Microfinance Institutions, and is studying English.

On December 15^th, PMN celebrated Gloria’s 15^th anniversary with the organization with an event attended by the entire team. An emotive dedication was also made to Gloria, Lynne and Carmen for their loyalty and commitment over the years.

“As heartwarming as it must have been for Gloria to be recognized by her team, it was even more meaningful for us to see how the organization has grown and how it is fulfilling its mission in Nicaragua,” commented Lynne.

It is truly amazing to see how far Pro Mujer has come in the last 15 years, and I am thrilled to be a part of an organization that does such important work for the women of Nicaragua.

Today, Pro Mujer in Nicaragua has 37,545 clients, 2,379 Communal Banks, and in 2011, disbursed US$29,119 in small loans.

Notas del Campo – Una Mirada Atrás a 15 años de Pro Mujer en Nicaragua

Por Yolanda Bravo, Jefa de Marketing, Pro Mujer en Nicaragua

Co-Fundadoras de Pro Mujer Carmen Velasco (izquierda) y Lynne Patterson (derecha) reconocen a Gloria Ruiz (centro), Directora de Pro Mujer en Nicaragua, por 15 años de servicio con la organización.

A finales de diciembre, Pro Mujer en Nicaragua celebró 15 años demostrando que la palabra de la mujer Nicaragüense vale.

Fundada el 31 de julio de 1996, Pro Mujer en Nicaragua (PMN) fue el primer intento que hicieron las Co-fundadoras de Pro Mujer, Lynne Patterson y Carmen Velasco para expandir la misión de aliviar la pobreza y ayudar a mujeres a realizar su potencial como agentes de cambio fuera de Bolivia, donde la organización fue fundada originalmente en 1990. En el transcurso de los últimos 15 años, PMN ha trabajado para mejorar y refinar sus operaciones y ha hecho enormes progresos en los servicios financieros, capacitaciones y servicios de salud.

PMN ha figurado consistentemente entre las 100 mejores instituciones de microfinanzas en un informe anual llevado a cabo por el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) y el Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX). En el 2006, el Programa de Alivio a la Pobreza del Banco Mundial le otorgó el premio a la  Transparencia Financiera. En 2007, MicroRate nombró a PMN como una de las Mejores Instituciones de Microfinanzas con Programas Sociales.

Todo esto fue posible en gran parte debido al inspirado e inquebrantable liderazgo de Gloria Ruiz, quien inició su carrera como Asesora de Crédito en PMN en el año de 1996 y desde entonces asumió posiciones de creciente responsabilidad hasta convertirse en la Gerente General en el año 2002.  Esta amplia experiencia impregna hoy el trabajo como la líder de PMN.

Desde que Gloria asumió este cargo, el portafolio de PMN aumentó US$7 millones y ha adquirido 22,000 nuevas clientas.

Gloria y su equipo tuvieron que enfrentarse a innumerables obstáculos en su camino, para hacer realidad el sueño de las cofundadoras: mejorar la vida de las mujeres a lo largo de estos 15 años.

Gloria nació en una familia pobre y fue criada en una sociedad dominada por hombres, presenció violencia doméstica durante su niñez y sobrevivió las atrocidades de la revolución nicaragüense que duró más de 15 años.

Cuando tenía 12 años, su padrastro la forzó a abandonar la escuela porque no veía el punto de invertir las ganancias de su madre en su educación. Inclusive sintió resistencia de parte de su madre cuando pensó en seguir una carrera profesional. Gloria recuerda, “Cuando terminé la secundaria, decidí estudiar ingeniería agrónoma. Mi madre me dijo que la agronomía es para hombres y que debería estudiar para ser una secretaría o maestra. Sin embargo, yo no quería ser la secretaría de un ingeniero agrónomo o la maestra de los hijos de un ingeniero agrónomo.”

A pesar de tantos desafíos y obstáculos, Gloria permaneció firme en su visión para el futuro.

Hoy en día, Gloria tiene un masterado en Microfinanzas y un certificado como ingeniera agrónoma. Ella también es parte de la junta directiva de ASOMIF, la Asociación de Instituciones Microfinancieras en Nicaragua y está estudiando inglés.

El 15 de diciembre, PMN celebró 15 años de operaciones en Nicaragua con un evento, en donde participó todo el personal y se realizó un emotivo homenaje a sus Co-fundadoras Lynne Patterson y Carmen Velasco y a Gloria Ruiz por su fidelidad y compromiso.

“A pesar de lo conmovedor que habrá sido para Gloria ser reconocida por su equipo, fue aún más significativo para nosotros ver como la organización ha crecido y como está cumpliendo su misión en Nicaragua” Lynne comentó.

Es verdaderamente sorprendente ver hasta qué punto Pro Mujer ha llegado en los últimos 15 años, y me siento feliz de ser parte de una organización que hace un trabajo tan importante para las mujeres de Nicaragua.

Hoy en día, PMN atiende a 37,545 clientas, 2,247 bancos comunales, y en el 2011 hemos desembolsado US$29,119 en pequeños préstamos.