Something amazing is happening in my community in the Dominican Republic and it’s transforming the lives of our women right now. I wanted to extend my personal thanks to you, as it’s because of gifts from supporters like you, that this change is happening.

My name is Rosa. I am the President of the Union of Mothers’ Centres in the rural town of Loma de Cabrera. Our area is one of the poorest in the Dominican Republic, right on the border with Haiti. The people here are surviving, but we can’t plan for our future because of the economic challenges we face. There is a lack of jobs and people can’t afford to pay for schools, medical care or food. Our culture is also a barrier to progress. There is a strong sense of machismo that discourages women from learning or working.

Our mothers’ union supports women to empower themselves and gain independence so they can challenge this culture and bring crucial change to our community. We are helping women to overcome the barriers that keep them poor.

The first cooperative in the country managed by women

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Heroina in the shop she bought with a loan from the Mothers' Union.

Donate today to support more women like Rosa and Heroina 

The women are trained by Progressio’s local partner, Solidaridad Fronteriza. Training includes lessons on how to grow food gardens, rear chickens, sell at the market and manage finances and small start-up loans. The women’s projects are creating lasting growth in their communities and are slowly changing the perception of women. 

Since we started a year ago, a variety of small businesses have emerged from our centres. The women are now independent for the first time, sending their children to school and giving their families a brighter.

The women are trained by Progressio’s local partner, Solidaridad Fronteriza. Training includes lessons on how to grow food gardens, rear chickens, sell at the market and manage finances and small start-up loans. The women’s projects are creating lasting growth in their communities and are slowly changing the perception of women.

Heroina Arasena, who leads one of our centres, told me, “When the community is progressing, I feel happy. That’s thanks to the training provided by the Union. The women from the mothers’ centres are benefiting.” All this has been made possible by generous gifts from supporters like you.

I am excited to tell you about one particular small business that began last March. It has been a real turning point for the Union.

Mamá Guilla is a line of handmade household goods, named after the founder of our Union. The brand includes cleaning and washing products, beauty and healthcare supplies, and handcrafts and cooking condiments.

Initially, 22 women from 12 centres were trained to create these products and given a small loan to get started. They, in turn, trained more women in the Union who also joined the project.

The women realised we needed more help in areas like pricing, profit and marketing. We received further support and training from Eduardo, a Progressio development worker. He worked with us to introduce a marketing plan and strong branding for the product.

“Through these projects, everything got resolved”

Heroina continued to tell me her story: “I was a woman suffering from illnesses. My husband died in December 2008 and my mother in January 2014. I soon became depressed. I forgot I was living.” 

Selling Mamá Guilla products has turned her life around. She says “my family used to be sick a lot, but because of the Union, everything got resolved. I am really benefiting and I give thanks to God for this help that came to my town.”

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Two Union of Mothers’ Centres members prepare the scale to weigh ingredients for Mamá Guilla cleaning products.
 

We will keep working, but we cannot do it alone


There is great potential for transforming the lives of many more women in our country. In its first year, Mamá Guilla has produced a steady income for the women and profits that we’re investing back into the Union and the community. We want to grow Mamá Guilla by purchasing the land next to the Union so we can expand production and help more women and their families. We will keep working hard, but we also know we cannot achieve this alone, just as we could not have reached our current success without the support of Eduardo from Progressio.

Progressio has always believed in sending people, rather than money. They call it people powered development. I can see that it’s a cost effective way to help those most in need to work themselves out of poverty - forever.

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Heroina Arasena in the Mothers' Centre she runs

Click here to donate today

  • £10 could help give women training in managing their finances so they can run a small business.
  • £30 could help pay for someone like Eduardo to share his skills with women so they can lift themselves out of poverty.
  • £50 could help a woman like Heroina to get the training she needs to turn her life around and stay healthy.