Helen Loftin, MEDA’s Project Manager in Pakistan, to Present “Unleashing Entrepreneurship 120,000 Times Over” At the Organization’s Annual Meeting in San Jose Nov. 5-8
Arriving from Islamabad, Loftin to discuss MEDA’s successful Micro-Enterprise Development Projects Assisting Women Entrepreneurs.
San Jose, CA (Vocus) November 4, 2009
News from Pakistan is generally bleak, but one unarmed soldier in the battle against poverty in that country is arriving in San Jose from Islamabad this week to share good news. Helen Loftin, Mennonite Economic Development Associate’s (http://www. meda. org/) (MEDA) regional project manager, is presenting “Unleashing Entrepreneurship 120,000 Times Over” at the organization’s annual convention, “Business as a Calling: New Frontiers, New Solutions,” in San Jose Nov. 5-8.
MEDA (www. meda. org) is a not-for-profit organization founded more than 50 years ago by Mennonite entrepreneurs. MEDA creates business solutions to poverty for people in the poorest regions of the world without regard to race, gender or religion.
While natural and man-made disasters in Pakistan have been grabbing the headlines, Loftin and MEDA have quietly but diligently focused on an initiative that will contribute in a more positive approach to building stability and progress in the region -- the empowerment of women. Due to MEDA’s work, women are finding new dignity and respect in their community by starting their own small businesses and helping to support their family.
Loftin said the organization’s goals are specific and the results have been dramatic and measurable. “Our work is ALL about business and women’s empowerment.” And from this work she said, there is a far-reaching domino effect. “The spin-offs...the ROI in terms of women's empowerment, generates more confidence and entrepreneurial zeal...and more money; which generates greater family stability; which generates community awareness and prosperity and strength; which generates a valuable way of life worth protecting and expanding; and which rejects destabilizing influences, and instead fosters PEACE.... this is the goal of our work.”
At the root of MEDA’s success is women, Loftin said. “It’s a hallmark of MEDA’s approach everywhere, to work with local organizations and institutions and from the very outset inculcate understanding, ownership and control of activities. We coach them, but they implement.” She added, “And though the intent of counterinsurgency sounds very Rambo and un-Mennonite – I would argue that this is what our work does…this is peace-building. How are we doing it? With women. We have seen the direct result of strengthening the economic opportunities for women. Now others are seeing it too.
“When women are the earners and control their earnings, their health and capacity grows exponentially, their children – including their daughters – are fed, go to school; the family assets grow, the positive momentum inspires and propels the women to do more. She gains respect in her own household, then the community, and it grows and grows and grows.”
From 2004 to 2007, Loftin spearheaded the USAID-funded “From Behind the Veil” project, which revolved around a women-to-women sales agent model. Building on that success, CIDA asked MEDA to replicate the model across Pakistan, expanding into different industries. According to Loftin, the goal is two-fold. “In addition to the goal of reaching 20,000 women producers and effectively integrating them into markets, we have the equally important goal of building the capacity and resources of local organizations to reach to this level of economic activity – and take a market-driven approach in efforts to link the producers to markets.”
Loftin manages the ongoing development and implementation of three women's economic development projects in all four provinces of Pakistan, touching more than 120,000 women entrepreneurs in some of the most challenging areas of the country where the women struggle just to survive. The three projects are:
“Pathways & Pursestrings,” launched in April 2008 with $6.7million from CIDA and $1million from MEDA. They recruited five partner organizations to collaborate in four distinct industries, including dairy, embellished fabric, seedlings and jewelry.
Additionally, two projects funded by USAID:
A partnership with FAO (Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) in Balochistan, one of the most difficult parts of the country. MEDA’s work here is again an economic development project in embellished fabrics, linking 5,000 women to markets. Partnering with another local organization – WESS (Water, Environment and Sanitation Society) – MEDA will collaborate to build capacity to implement real market-driven solutions to producers’ constraints.
Loftin is also the Chief of Party for the new USAID-funded $30 million “Entrepreneurs” project, which focuses on increasing incomes for women in the most marginalized areas of the country. The goals are similar to "Pathways & Pursestrings,” but much larger – in fact the single largest project MEDA has ever pursued, involving a budget of $30 million over five years, implementing 10 value chains, partnering with more local organizations and together, reaching 120,000 “microentrepreneurs.” The project is one piece of a larger economic development program designed to stimulate growth and catalyze real, tangible, and market-driven benefits across Pakistan.
Loftin’s work has included developing business plans, writing and launching programs for women’s enterprises in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh. She addresses the myriad business challenges faced by marginalized women and facilitates their participation in commerce.
Referencing her work in the region over the past three years, Loftin will share a uniquely personal perspective about a region of the world that few will ever see and challenges otherwise unknown to us. Media are invited to attend her presentations on Friday, Nov. 6, 10:45 -12 p. m., and again from 2-3:15 p. m. Additionally, Loftin is available for pre-event interviews Tuesday through Thursday, Nov. 3-5.
About MEDA:
Mennonite entrepreneurs founded MEDA 50 years ago. The organization creates business solutions to overcoming poverty for people in the poorest regions of the world without regard to race, gender or religion.
MEDA works to increase personal dignity and self-sufficiency through:
Providing innovative and sustainable access to savings and credit for the poor; Improving access to markets for small producers and helping the poor to have better access to products that serve their basic needs; Establishing private investment as an effective solution to global poverty.
MEDA partners with local and national governments, foundations, community-based organizations and businesses to provide infrastructure and long-term solutions to poverty. MEDA is a highly respected partner of such international agencies as USAID, CIDA and the MasterCard Foundation. For more information please visit www. meda. org
CONTACT: Karin Olsen / AMAZONpr / 310-497-0052
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