Adelante and Education

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.

Rain, Rivers and Motorbikes

March 25th, 2008

Rain has returned to Atlántida, which is odd because it’s supposed to be summer, and the end of rainy season. And yet, for the past two weeks, we’ve seen more rain than normal for this time of year, and over the past couple days the rain has not offered many moments of relief. Rain in Atlántida is rarely confined to a brief shower - it is usually a prolonged downpour over several days (or in the rainy season, several weeks). Many of the streets within La Ceiba flood - with help from the garbage in the streets that plugs up the drains - and the large network of dirt roads around the state can turn to sloppy mud or flowing rivers.

This doesn’t stop the Adelante credit officers, and makes for some adventures for the new volunteer! Yesterday, despite listening to the rain hit the roof all night, and the fore-boding dark clouds in the sky, I hopped on the back of the motorbike of one of the Adelante credit officers. The credit officer had some Asambleas and other clients to visit; these visits took us out beyond San Juan Pueblo – a town about an hour (on motorbike) from La Ceiba - and into the communities along the network of dirt roads that spread out on either side of the highway.

I hesitate to use the word “road” when describing the dirt roads we were travelling down - even on a motorbike they were almost impassable - and after a few days of rain, in some sections they more closely resembled a river! In certain parts, there was so much water, it actually had a current. On the bike, the water rose up to our knees, and as I wondered at what point the engine would flood, the credit officer just kept slowly finding his way through the current, looking for the shallowest sections. I was amazed!

We visited two Asambleas, and several other coordinators of other groups. Last week was Semana Santa (Easter Week), so there were no Asambleas, and the credit officer had to visit those groups to make sure loan payments were still made. We put in a full day driving down the muddy roads and visiting Adelante participants. I arrived back home, exhausted, with all my clothes soaked under my rain gear. The next day, after another night of listening to the rain on the roof, and the continued presence of the fore-boding clouds in the sky, the same credit officer was out again, decked out in his bright yellow rain gear, driving those roads, and visiting his Asambleas and clients.

 

 

March 18, 2008

La Ceiba, Atlántida

Last week when I was at one of the Asambleas around Atlántida, the topic of the educational talk was Planning, specifically for your business. The importance and benefits of planning, both short term and long term, and some suggestions on planning techniques were some of the topics discussed.

In running any business, large or small, there is a seemingly endless list of activities, responsibilities and tasks to juggle. Planning ahead, in terms of scheduling for certain tasks, or budgeting appropriately so that there is enough money left to pay all the bills, can frequently help to smooth business operations.

In one Asamblea in one of the neighborhoods that border La Ceiba, this idea - planning ahead and budgeting - stirred a discussion amongst the women at the meeting. One woman mentioned the difficulty of planning ahead, especially when life can be so uncertain and the budget so tight. For instance, the woman said, you could have things all planned out, and saved enough money to pay the next light bill when it comes, but then a child suddenly falls sick and you have to take her to the health clinic, incurring costs and lost work days. Several women nodded in agreement, and shared their own stories of the difficulties they face nearly every month when unforeseen circumstances suddenly arise, putting a dent in their plans, as they have to scramble deal with this latest challenge.

The Adelante credit officer, spurred on by this discussion, emphasized the importance of having a strategy and the importance of long term planning. A series of short term plans, that lead to a long term plan, can help slowly move towards a strategy that will ideally make dealing with such uncertainty a little easier and smoother. The credit officer said it was important not to give up, not to feel defeated. The women nodded their heads in agreement.

It was an interesting Asamblea - the talk on planning was a platform for discussions between women on weighty issues that touch their lives nearly every day. Planning can be a helpful and beneficial tool in any business, whether big or small, or in family and daily living. But the issues that the women at this meeting mentioned, which would be familiar to many women around the world, highlight some fundamental challenges that vulnerable communities seem to face in greater degrees than others.

Uncertainty, and the unexpected, unpredictable circumstances that come with it, are aspects of everyone’s life - indeed, they are a defining component of life. However, it seems to me that uncertainty looms much larger in vulnerable neighborhoods. The higher you pull a pendulum in one direction, the further it will swing in the other when you let go. What could be considered small inconveniences in some communities and neighborhoods, are enough to crumble carefully-laid plans in others.

 

 

 

Asambleas

March 15, 2008

La Ceiba, Atlántida

Terminology, vocabulary and lingo - all professions and fields have it: those terms and words that define a particular profession, and that all participants in that field speak. So in order to keep all blog readers and people interested in Fundación Adelante up to speed with the terminology of the organization and microfinance, I thought some definitions could be in order. Defining these terms also outlines a little about how Adelante functions.

I’ll start with one of the most commonly used words at Fundación Adelante: the Asamblea.

So, what is an Asamblea?

When the Fundación offers a loan to a woman with an idea for a business, she has to be part of a group with two to four other women who are also receiving Adelante loans (there are a few individual loans - I’ll describe those in another blog).

An Asamblea, which translates as “Assembly”, is a group of three to five of these smaller groups of women. Most Asambleas have between 15 to 30 women, all of whom live within the same general area.

These Asambleas meet every 14 days with their Adelante credit officer; so the term Asamblea also describes these bi-weekly meetings. The purpose of these meetings is for loan payments and other administrative matters, and the community educator and credit officer give an educational talk. It is also a chance for the women to meet with the other women in involved in Adelante and women who live in nearby communities; it is an opportunity for them to share experiences and ideas.

More Adelante and microfinance terms to come in later blog entries!

The Aches and Pains of the Job!

March 14, 2008

La Ceiba, Atlántida

Today I am feeling some growing pain due to my work with Adelante! I must preface this blog by saying that my experience on motorbikes is very limited - I have been on a bike a couple times in Honduras, but only for a couple minutes each time. Back home in Canada, a human-powered bike is my main and favourite mode of transportation and exercise, but I think the last time I was on a motor-powered bike, I was six years old. Having said this, riding around on a motorbike always looked pretty fun and exciting to me, and I always enjoyed those few moments when someone gave me a ride on one.

Now, to the growing pains: from my knees to my abdomen, my muscles are screaming!

The cause: riding from one end of Atlántida (the state on the North Coast where La Ceiba is located) to the other with Adelante credit officers, on the back of a motorbike. Yesterday I accompanied one credit officer to two Asambleas just outside of La Ceiba, and a third near Jutiapa, in the eastern part of Atlántida. Today I hopped on the back of the bike of another credit officer, as he went to Asambleas in the far west part of the state.

The credit officers were wonderful and dedicated, and the Asambleas were interesting (more on those in blogs to come). So interesting, in fact, that the entire two days are all I can think about; with every step, my aching muscles remind me of the trips. So I have learned yet another lesson from yet another one of my new experiences with Adelante: clinging to the back of a motorbike, flying along the roads of the coast, is quite an anaerobic workout! But, with some stretching, and a little more practice, I’m sure I’ll become accustomed to riding on motorbikes; I sure hope so, because it was a fascinating and enjoyable experience!

Visiting Intibuca

March 6, 2008

First Field Visit Beyond Atlantida

Asambleas in Intibuca

La Esperanza, Intibuca

The staff at Fundacion Adelante have made sure that my time as a volunteer has gotten off to a quick start! I hit the ground running in my first week on the job - on my second official day I was at the bus stop at 6:00 a.m. to catch the bus to La Esperanza, the capital of the department of Intibuca. I arrived in the small town at noon, after travelling along winding roads into the hills of this department in Southern Honduras. Intibuca is one of the poorest departments in Honduras, and still has a large population of Lencan people.

After the heat of La Ceiba, it was refreshing getting off the bus to the cooler air of the highlands: La Esperanza is the coolest municipality of Honduras. The surroundings were also very different from Atlantida; La Esperanza is tucked into rolling hills covered in pine trees. Even though the pine trees are a Caribbean species, as a Canadian, they always make me think of home.

The Intibuca office of Adelante is staffed by two dedicated credit officers, who brave the steep, rocky roads around La Esperanza on their motorcycles to attend the various Asambleas. Another Adelante staff member was visiting, so along with one of the credit officers, the three of us bounced into the hills around La Esperanza in his truck to attend some Asambleas.

We visited four Asambleas in one day, which is quite an accomplishment, given the road conditions, the distance between meeting places, and the time and care the Adelante staff give to each meeting. The Asambleas were held in the front yards or rooms of women’s houses; one was held in a newly built church. Although we were not late in arriving, at each meeting the women were waiting for us to begin their Asamblea.

At each Asamblea, about half the women had brought one of their children. I found my attention constantly drawn to the giggling smiles that lit up their faces, or big the serious eyes that absorbed all that was going on around them. At the afternoon Asambleas, which occured after school got out for the day, we were joined by more school-aged children. These children immediately jumped in to the back of our pick-up truck when we arrived, played marbles in the dust, and asked me lots of curious questions about who I was and when I will be returning.

Unfortunately this visit to Intibuca was a short one, but I look forward to going back to attend more Asambleas in the cool hills around La Esperanza, and to see some of those children again!

 

 

A few more pics:

 

 

A New Job!

March 3, 2008

First Official Day on the Job!

Community Educator Training Workshop

La Ceiba, Atlantida

On my first official day on the job at Adelante, I had the opportunity to sit in on a Community Educator Training Session. Each Asamblea (a group of about 25-30 Adelante clients) elects one Community Educator that facilitates the educational talks at every bi-weekly meeting. Every month, all the Community Educators from all the Asambleas in the department of Atlantida come to La Ceiba to participate in a training session about the educational talks that they will be facilitating that month.

So my first day at Adelante was spent with 30 very enthusiastic Adelante women, and some of Adelante’s staff educators. The staff educators help with the creation of the educational talks, support the Community Educators, and give the educational training workshops.

The Adelante educator who facilitated this workshop - who is also Adelante’s Educational Coordinator - was full of energy and enthusiasm, which easily spread to the rest of the crowd. The women - most of whom only knew each other through previous educational training workshops - were full of good humour, laughter, and eager to participate. The room erupted into bursts of giggles when the Adelante educator led the group in a name game: each woman said her name, as well as her favourite dish. Then, in a second round of the room, each woman said her first name, and substituted her last name for her favourite dish. This resulted in hilarity, and many women were easily able to remember each other’s names, and learned something about the rest of the group.

Each educational talk is aided by large, laminated flip chart paper with drawings describing the topic at hand, which help make the talks accessible and interesting. With her friendly enthusiasm, the staff educator captured the attention of the women and kept them involved and participating throughout the entire workshop, even when lunch was a little late in arriving.

My first two direct experiences with Adelante - and the first two topics for this blog - have both provided a window into various elements of how the organization functions. Later this week I will have the opportunity to visit another Adelante office and attend some Asambleas in another, very different, region of the country. Through these and future experiences, I am learning about how Adelante operates, as well as given a glimpse into how the organization has touched the lives of its clients and staff. Through this blog, I hope to share my experiences with and learning about Adelante, to offer those interested in the organization an “insiders” view, from a volunteer’s perspective.

 

 

 

 

 

Meeting Adelante

February 27, 2008

First Asamblea Visit
La Ceiba, Atlantida

My first personal experience with Adelante was a couple of weeks ago when I was able to visit to a couple ‘Asambleas’ with several members of the Board of Directors who were visiting from the United States. I had recently accepted a short term position with the Fundación Adelante to document some of the experiences of participants’ in the organization’s micro-credit program. I have been living in La Ceiba, Atlantida, for 6 months, working for an environmental NGO and my contract was about to expire. Eager to stay in La Ceiba for a few more months, and to learn from and experience the work of an active and wide-spread organization, I jumped at the opportunity to work for the Fundación Adelante.

Our visit to the Asambleas began early in the morning, following a rocky and bumpy gravel road for a couple hours. The directors, who were in town for a bi-annual meeting, were incredibly friendly, and the drive was spent chatting and sharing stories and experiences. The first Asamblea was held in a small local church; by the time we arrived, the room was filled with women who welcomed us with smiles and kisses. At the second Asamblea, which a short drive away down another bumpy road, and was held outside one of the participants’ homes, we received the same warm reception. An Asamblea is a bi-monthly meeting of about 25-30 women who are involved in Fundación Adelante’s micro-credit program. I was struck immediately by the enthusiasm the women showed for their relationship and commitment to Adelante, as well as to the work that a loan from Adelante has supported in their lives. I was also impressed with the organized and efficient way that the meeting was conducted; each meeting began with an ice-breaker, followed by an informative talk, and then the administrative tasks were taken care of, as all groups ensured their loan payments were completed.

One of the things I found most interesting during the day, was the chance to see and experience different components of Fundación Adelante interacting with each other and working together. The board members focus their energy on the administrative and organizational issues, as well as on the vision and direction of the organization; their interest and passion for Adelante’s mandate and participants was palpable. The local women attending the Asambleas, whose efforts Adelante is supporting with micro-credit, are the grass-roots and the reason for the organization’s existence. I also met some of the staff of Adelante - the two staff educators who led the informative discussions at the Asambleas bubbled with commitment, encouragement and motivation.

The day was a fascinating and excellent introduction to Adelante, and left me excited and motivated about learning more about this organization. I officially begin my position next week, and I will continue sharing my reflections, experiences, and learning on this blog throughout my time with the Fundación Adelante.