Adelante and Education
April 7, 2008 by adelantefoundation
The most visible component of the work that the Fundacion Adelante does in Honduras is the small loans it provides in rural communities throughout the country. However Adelante ties an education program to its microfinance opportunities; in fact, the organization’s tag-line is “Microfinance, Education, Opportunity.”
Adelante’s educational program has developed over 60 different charlas in three main areas: business, health and human rights. Each charla is meant to be relevant, accessible, and informative to the women participating in Adelante’s program. To make the charlas interesting and accessible, they are presented on laminated flip-chart paper, complete with colourful drawings. The credit officers take these packages to each Asamblea.
Adelante promotes a peer-to-peer educational program, which means that a Community Educator elected by the members of her group facilitates the charla in her Asamblea, with the support of the credit officer. The Community Educator participates in Adelante training program prior to facilitating the charlas in her own Asamblea.
Adelante develops and designs all the educational charlas in their education program. The education department is located in the head office in La Ceiba; there, several educators design the content of the charlas, and then the art department designs and draws the charlas onto the flip-chart paper.
In my visits to various Asambleas, I have seen several educational charlas. The charlas that are generally presented when a new Asamblea group is formed, or a when new loan is paid out, focus on goals and objectives, planning, and business planning. Other business charlas (that I have not yet seen) are about making a business plan, or accounting methods. I saw a health charla about women’s health exams; sometimes a sensitive topic, I found it was very well and respectfully presented, and many women in the Asamblea spoke up and had a lot to contribute. I’ve also seen charlas about civil rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, and violence again women.
