Introduction
UPAVIM began making simple crafts to give the women much needed employment and to help pay for the Growth Monitoring program in 1991. In addition, the women wanted to create more independence from overseas donors. Since then, the craft program has developed into a successful export business that won a national prize in 2001 for non-traditional textile exporting. The profits from craft sales finance the entire Children’s center, which includes the daycare and the school, and partially subsidizes the pharmacy and medical clinic.
With the goal of making all of their community programs sustainable from additional income generating projects, UPAVIM is currently attempting to complete the “Annex,” a second-four story building which at this time houses projects and businesses, including a soy milk production facility, a bakery, store, our alternative school, the library, our tutoring program and the English program. We hope to use the 4th floor to move the library and tutoring program up to so the school has more space and for the crafts business to expand. For more information, please see the specific project’s overview page.
Community Development Projects
