SKI Charities

SKI Charities Blog

November 15, 2018 by SKIC | No Comments

How We Choose Our Microloan Beneficiaries

At the heart of our charity’s success are the microfinance beneficiaries who take the modest loans we provide and transform them into thriving businesses—and in turn, thriving communities. But with locations in both Zimbabwe and Chile, how do we recruit the right women to participate in the program?

How We Find Candidates

Our teams on the ground in Mutare, Zimbabwe and Lebu, Chile use their local knowledge and connections to recruit beneficiaries. This may mean presenting to local women’s groups, churches, or government organizations, or just spreading information about our organization by word of mouth.

What We Look For

When we find potential candidates, we check their references, go over their business plan, and look at their previous experience in small business or trade. But ultimately, commitment to growing as an entrepreneur and contributing to their community may be the most important factor, says our founder, Shyam K. Iyer. “When we take a risk on a beneficiary we need them to know it’s a partnership between us, and their success is our success,” he says. “And when they succeed we hope their gains are invested in their families and the broader community.” The right candidate is “someone who sees SKIMFI as their opportunity to achieve independence,” he says. “If they want to take control of their finances and know we are there to give them a hand up and not a hand-out, they will succeed.”

At the end of the day, what makes the biggest difference is the confidence of a beneficiary. Do they believe in themselves as businesswomen and will they stick with their plan when things get difficult? “Unfortunately in many of the locations we operate in women are not so encouraged in the business world,” says Shyam. “Finding that certain ‘it’ factor has been challenging and to this day is our team’s main goal.”

What We’ve Learned So Far

Since we began in 2013, we’ve learned to be more flexible in the terms we ask of our beneficiaries. “At the onset of our program we calculated risk factors and default rates and from there determined what each beneficiary had to do,” says Shyam. “Now that we have more confidence in our team and greater knowledge of the community we can afford to take greater risks, including longer-term arrangements and non-traditional business plans.”

 

Categories : Uncategorized
October 18, 2018 by SKIC | No Comments

Here’s What You Should Know About the Indigenous Mapuche People of Chile

Indigenous peoples throughout the Americas—and throughout the world, for that matter—have had to face the brutal force of colonization for hundreds of years. The native Mapuche people of Chile, who we serve through our microfinance and creative arts programs, have been a model of resistance against colonization and oppression. Even today, those left in Chile are fighting to preserve their unique cultural traditions and history.

A man and woman, from 1890. Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Here’s what you should know about the Mapuche people:

Mapuche means “people of the Earth,” and a connection to nature is an important part of their culture. For instance, they still use natural medicinal techniques using ingredients culled from the land.

Medicine women treating a patient. Photo via Wikimedia Commons

They are the largest ethnic group in Chile, with 10% of the population identifying as Mapuche. They make up 80% of Chile’s indigenous population. Some also live in Argentina.

They have a long tradition of handmade artisan goods, including weaving and silversmithing. Weaving in particular is passed down from woman to woman.

Some of our beneficiaries are keeping traditional weaving traditions alive.

They are still fighting for their land—and for the preservation of their heritage. Despite fierce resistance, the Mapuche people have historically been forced to assimilate and to move off their land, and the struggle to preserve indigenous land and traditions continues today.

They are still fighting for their rights. Photo via Flickr

“Mapuche” actually refers to several groups of indigenous peoples, including the Picunche, Huilliche and Moluche.

“Machis” in 1900. Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Categories : SKICharities, SKILLS, SKImfi
August 15, 2018 by SKIC | No Comments

SKI Charities in the News: Our Founder’s Best Advice for Entrepreneurs

Our founder, Shyam K. Iyer, is often asked to share his expertise on everything from starting a nonprofit to managing a team. SKI Charities has been in the news so often lately that we decided to put all Shyam’s best pieces of advice in one place:

SKI Charities, Shyam K. Iyer

On the book that taught him to take risks:

“Losing My Virginity, by Richard Branson taught me early on to enjoy taking risks and that determination is the sole factor in achieving success.”

Read the full story on fupping.com.

 

On the importance of giving collaborators full autonomy:

“The key skill to collaborating successfully is the ability to share decision-making and encourage true autonomy with the understanding that long-term progress will be predominantly driven by participants closest to their task.”

Read the full story on the Filestage blog.

 

On engaging the organization at every level:

“When a business begins, it’s like a speedboat—quick and easy to maneuver. But as time goes on, that sassy little speedboat can be slowed down by people and processes, making it feel more like a battleship. If that’s happening at your organization, Shyam Krishna Iyer, founder of SKI Charities, suggests that you encourage autonomy at all levels of the organization to speed up innovation.”

Read the full story on Cerkl.

 

 

On why he started SKIC and his advice for entrepreneurs:

“When I first contemplated SKI Charities I was faced with a high degree of skepticism. Most thought why take a risk in a country like Zimbabwe and others felt if the idea was worthwhile it would already have been done. These are fair challenges so I set out to take a chance by building a small but dedicated team and self-financing the project. Eight years later hundreds of families have benefitted at our locations.”

Read the full story on Ideamensch.

 

On delegating to empowerment:

“As a social entrepreneur, I have learned to hire and empower staff and beneficiaries from the community being served. While a founder may drive early success, the capacity to delegate local level ownership and buy-in will determine the success of any project or enterprise.”

Read the full story on carolroth.com.

 

On the biggest challenges he faces today:

“Our biggest challenge right now is the economic uncertainty that is prevalent in the overseas locations we operate. Frontier regions give our organisation the golden opportunity to reach beneficiaries who would otherwise be forgotten. However this same instability provides a challenge to us in navigating and managing so much uncertainty.”

Read the full story on USA Weekly.

Categories : SKICharities
July 19, 2018 by SKIC | 1 Comment

How Our Programs Help Single Mothers

There’s a lot of stigma around single motherhood—after all, many mothers today choose to raise children on their own. And in the U.S. studies show that children raised by single mothers aren’t necessarily at a disadvantage to children from homes with two parents.

Waiting in line for cash. Photo by Tendai Marima via The World Post.

But in Zimbabwe, where there’s an ongoing economic crisis, the financial hardship that most single mothers face can’t be ignored. The country has an extreme cash shortage, and many women spend hours each week waiting to get cash from the bank. For single mothers, this poses a particular challenge—not to mention the cost of raising children on a single income and the scarcity of jobs overall. (Of course, in Zimbabwe it’s more common than in America to live with extended family members.)

Single mothers in Zimbabwe face challenges both in their careers and in providing education for their children. And though none of our programs are aimed specifically at single mothers, both our microfinance and scholarship work helps empower women in this situation.

When the burden of childcare falls on a single parent, it can be difficult for that parent to have time to pursue a full-time career, particularly if they can’t afford to hire outside childcare help. By providing microloans to women in Zimbabwe and Chile, we give them the opportunity to build a career on their own terms and on their own schedule.

Managing the costs associated with education is a problem for many families in Zimbabwe; single-parent families face an even tougher burden. That’s why our scholarship program identifies girls at a young age, and provides all costs associated with their education. Right now, two of our scholars come from single-mother homes, and six of our veterans do. (One current scholar comes from a single-grandmother home.)

Single mothers deserve the same opportunities as everyone else—as do their children. We’re proud to do work that helps give them those opportunities.

Categories : SKICharities, SKILLS, SKImfi, SKIpgo
May 24, 2018 by SKIC | No Comments

What It’s Like to Be An Entrepreneur in the Middle of an Economic Crisis

One of the major problems caused by the Zimbabwe economic crisis is the high unemployment rate. 

I graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology, but I haven’t found a permanent job in relation to my field. Right now, I’m 25 years old, but I’m still depending on my parents; I can’t afford living on my own. The worst part is the rising of prices due to exporting resources. Zimbabwe is now exporting everything from food to toiletries to clothing.

Some women in Zimbabwe didn’t get the chance to go to school. There are some who are illiterate. Most of them are housewives. They wait for their husbands’ salaries which may not be enough. Many women experience domestic violence due to poverty.

Even those who are educated are finding it hard to get jobs. They may also end up being housewives. Saleswomen are facing challenges in getting forex since the introduction of bond notes. They need US dollars to buy outside of the country. It’s easier to change USD to another currency than it is to bond notes. It’s a lot cheaper when you have USD.

Unfortunately, USD is no longer found in banks; it’s now in the black market. To get $100, you need to pay $130 in bond notes. It becomes difficult for people to do their business.

Women selling secondhand clothes at a market in Zimbabwe.

Getting hard cash is also difficult. There are long queues at the bank. Sometimes, the banks will not have any cash, and sometimes they give only $20 a day. To get $100, people have to go to the bank for five days and wait in the long queue. One can spend the whole day standing in the queue.

To be an entrepreneur in this economy, it takes courage and hard work. There is a lot of competition in the market. Since the rate of unemployment is high, everyone is aiming to be an entrepreneur: opening grocery shops and restaurants, selling clothes at flea markets, poultry projects. The market is flooded, so only a few are making profits.

Many people also sell secondhand clothes. Those who make profit are the ones who can afford to buy expensive bales from Mozambique with nicer, newer clothes. The majority of people buy affordable bales from Mozambique and don’t make a lot of profit because the clothes are ugly.

Despite the challenges of being an entrepreneur in this climate, many of the women that SKIC supports are finding success in their ventures. Why? Our microloans give them a much-needed cash boost. Plus, we give all our beneficiaries thorough entrepreneurship training before sending them out into business.

Victoria Makoni is SKI Charities’ Communications/Operations Intern, where she trains beneficiaries, monitors their progress, ensures they comply with the rules and regulations of SKIC and keeps records of all participants. Prior to working with SKIC, she worked at ZIMASCO (Zimbabwe Mining and Smelting Company) as a Human Resources intern. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Africa University Zimbabwe.

Categories : SKImfi
April 12, 2018 by SKIC | No Comments

How We Ensure Our Microloan Beneficiaries’ Success

A training in Mutare, Zimbabwe

To this day, we’ve supported hundreds of women with microloans in Zimbabwe and Chile. And the results have been extraordinary: The women we’ve worked with have by and large paid back their loans and used them to grow thriving businesses.

The secret to success? The drive, talent and hard work of these women. The other secret? We don’t just throw them into the deep end of entrepreneurship. We give each and every one of them a thorough training before we send them out into the world, and we’ve seen just how important that training is.

Many of the women we work with aren’t new to running a business. About half our beneficiaries in Zimbabwe use their microloan to build on a business they’ve already established, rather than start one from scratch. Our Zimbabwe program manager Victoria says that these women tend to find success quicker than those without prior experience, which makes sense.

But those who are starting from scratch receive plenty of information and support. Our trainings bring together women from different backgrounds and experience levels to learn together and share ideas. Some of the topics we cover are:

  • How to calculate expenses and profits
  • How to take inventory of products
  • The mission of SKI Charities and the importance of women-owned businesses
  • How loans and interest function
  • What we expect of them

A training in Chile

At the training, each woman explains what her business is, and they can share ideas and suggestions about potential projects. Women can ask each other—and us—questions. Some of the women we work with are illiterate, so we provide accommodations to ensure they can access the training, too.

We check in on the women about two weeks after they’ve received their loans to see how they’re doing and assess their progress. Our more experienced women help the newer entrepreneurs, who also seek out women in their community who own businesses for advice and support.

“They get new ideas from each other. It also helps them understand the importance of stock taking and calculating expenses,” says Victoria. The trainings “enlighten them on the expectations of the program, which makes them better entrepreneurs and empowers them.”

 

Categories : SKICharities, SKImfi
April 3, 2018 by SKIC | No Comments

Free to Play, Free to Learn

Part of what makes our scholarship program in Zimbabwe so successful is the quality of the schools we partner with. Without them, we couldn’t give our young scholars the education they deserve. We’re especially grateful that, like us, these schools believe that in addition to learning in the classroom, children need time to play.

In addition to free play, at the schools where our scholars attend, students have the opportunity to do gymnastics, tennis, swimming, jungle gym and other sports. On special occasions they get especially fun activities, like horseback riding. Experts believe that both free play and structured physical activity are essential to development, and have academic, social and physical benefits.

Having time to play makes students more focused and well-behaved once they get back to the classroom. Free play improves their social skills, allowing them opportunities to solve problems, resolve conflicts and structure play on their own terms. Physical activity is also thought to reduce anxiety in children.

Not to mention the health benefits: Recess helps students maintain a healthy weight, build stronger muscles and bones, and strengthen their bodies’ ability to fight off diseases and infections. Plus, students who get to play before lunch are more likely to eat fruits and veggies and finish their whole meals.

Playtime also gives students something to look forward to—and it’s fun! It’s true what they say: work hard, play hard.

Categories : SKICharities, SKIpgo
March 7, 2018 by SKIC | No Comments

Why It’s Essential to Have Men on Board

When it comes to achieving gender equality, we have so much work to do. And as much as we believe that women should be leading the charge, we need the help and support of male allies.

The #HeForShe campaign might be the most visible iteration of this idea, mobilizing everyone—not just women—to take action for gender equality.

With that in mind, we’ve incorporated male solidarity into the mission of our organization at every level.

Though our microfinance program provides loans to women exclusively, it engages entire communities. “Buy in among men is very important in the traditional societies we operate in,” says our founder, Shyam K. Iyer. “When they understand our concept of economic empowerment and give their female relatives the space to participate, the men eventually see the new wealth and opportunities for their families.” In addition to the male family members of our beneficiaries getting involved, men might buy quality handmade goods from one of our beneficiaries, or sell her the materials she needs. Our beneficiaries might rent space from men, or trade products with them. Our microloans breed a community of support and prosperity around our beneficiaries that includes everyone.

Shyam in Zimbabwe

Getting men on board isn’t always easy, though. “In many of my travels I find that men feel challenged by this new status quo,” says Shyam. “After all, leveling the playing field means some of the advantages they enjoyed previously are now at risk. I have been in multiple situations where men aggressively asked me about our bringing outside ideas into their communities. It is up to us to listen and find ways to involve them.”

We also enlist the support of men for our scholarship program. During our careful selection process, we look for families who are as committed to their daughters’ education as we are. That means fathers who believe that girls deserve a quality education just as much as boys do.

A scholarship recipient and her father

It’s important to have men on board when working towards women’s empowerment—but it’s also important to recognize that our work benefits men as well as women. When women entrepreneurs thrive, their communities thrive with them. Just as when girls have access to education, they have so much to give back to the world as leaders.

Categories : SKICharities
February 15, 2018 by SKIC | No Comments

Why Zimbabwe’s Economic Crisis Should Be A Women’s Issue

Since 2016, Zimbabwe’s economy has been in recession. But it’s been in trouble for much longer—over fifteen years now.

Waiting in line for cash. Photo by Tendai Marima via The World Post.

Though the cash shortages brought on by the crisis are tough on everyone, there’s one group of people who bears the brunt of the burden: women.

According to The World Post, women often wait for hours outside banks trying to get cash, missing doctor’s appointments and other commitments so as not to lose their place in line. “As a wife, it’s my job to come here and wait,” said one woman. “It’s painful. Coming to get money feels like a daily job, but I can’t eat and I can’t drink water because I’ll lose my place in the line if I go to the toilet. There’s a pay toilet a block and a half away, but I have to go often and they are not always clean,” said another.

The crisis is taking a toll on women’s health in particular. Cash shortages often prevent hospitals from getting the drugs and supplies they need to care for their patients. Surgeries like C-sections are sometimes not possible, leaving pregnant women and infants particularly vulnerable. Zimbabwe also has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world, and well over half of the infected are women. A nurse told The World Post that women often miss their treatment doses because they are waiting in line for cash.

Women with children face even more challenges. “When there isn’t much money, the men usually take off, leaving the women to take care of kids financially,” says our founder, Shyam K. Iyer. “Their responsibilities grow as both breadwinners and as mothers.” Plus, the financial crisis makes education even more inaccessible to children, particularly girls.

Stephanie and Samantha use their microloan to rent a table at the market in Chikanga.

What can be done about it? Here at SKIC, part of the reason we’ve chosen to focus our efforts on Zimbabwe is because we feel we can help in the face of this crisis. “We at SKIC realize that when things get difficult is the exact time for us to step in and take a chance on people who abound with energy and entrepreneurism yet are trapped by political and economic forces beyond their control,” says Shyam. By handing them cash, we eliminate the problem that the lack of liquidity in Zimbabwe’s economy presents.

And by honoring Zimbabwe’s entrepreneurial spirit through microfinance loans, we’re giving women an out from the financial crisis and a chance at self-sufficiency. “With the country receiving so little financial support this is even more important,” Shyam says. We’re equally committed to providing scholarships for young girls in Zimbabwe, giving them the foundation that will allow them to thrive in the future, as well as taking the financial burden off their families. 

Categories : SKICharities, SKImfi
December 4, 2017 by SKIC | No Comments

Why We’re Obsessed With Mapuche Singer Ana Tijoux

Ana Tijoux

Image via Flickr

It’s easy to think of Mapuche culture as being rooted in the past. The indigenous group native to Chile is known for artisan techniques such as silversmithing and weaving that date back all the way to 1300 AD.

But to keep the culture of this resilient people alive, artists are innovating on Mapuche traditions—that’s why we decided to expand our work to empowering Mapuche artists to make work that reflects their heritage.

Chilean recording artist Ana Tijoux is also using her platform to explore her Mapuche background. Born in France to Mapuche parents who fled Chile under the Pinochet regime, Tijoux moved back to Chile as a teenager and soon found success as a hip hop artist in Santiago.

Her group, Makiza, was a wildly popular Chilean rap group in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. In 2006, Tijoux went solo, and since then her music has shifted more and more to reflect Mapuche culture.

Her “Somos Sur” is about resisting colonization and oppression in Chile and throughout the world. “Canelo Sagrado,” written for the 2015 documentary Genoveva, explores the challenges and discrimination that the Mapuche people face. She wears traditional Mapuche dress in the music video:

She’s been an outspoken advocate for the Mapuche people, speaking in interviews about the struggles they face and their ongoing resistance. She’s even been know to wave the Mapuche flag at her concerts.

Plus, she’s a supporter of women’s rights, sharing her empowering “Sacar La Voz (Raise Your Voice)” for a campaign to support the Half the Sky Movement for women around the world.

We love Tijoux because her work is at the intersection of two causes close to our hearts: preserving the culture of the Mapuche people and empowering women to tell their stories through art.

 

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