November 2004 Newsletter
Co-partners of Campesinas
901 Second Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 703-548-6713
E-mail: heinzen@erols.com www.copartners.org
Co-partners of Campesinas
901 Second Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 703-548-6713
E-mail: heinzen@erols.com www.copartners.org
Co-partners of Campesinas is a US based, 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization that supports New Hope and other associations working for
women’s education and empowerment in developing countries in Latin America. New Hope (La Nueva Esperanza in Spanish) is an
organization of sixty rural girls and women from four impoverished communities near Ilobasco, El Salvador, who meet weekly to learn
income-producing skills and advance the education of members and their children. To attend meetings members may walk for several
hours or travel by pick-up truck. ASODEMUK (Asociación para el Desarrollo de la Mujer Kichelense) is a women’s organization located
outside of Chichicastenango, Guatemala with goals similar to New Hope’s.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Fabulous Fundraiser
In August Co-partners shared its work and raised funds through an exhibit of photographs of Guatemala taken by volunteers Julia
Gonzalez and Claire Schuster. The exhibit entitled "Caras de K'iche" (Faces of K'iche) was displayed at the "Everyday Gourmet",
a coffee shop and delicatessen, in Takoma Park, Maryland. The restaurant owners welcomed the exhibit and the opportunity to
raise awareness about Co-partners’ projects in Central America.
The pictures reflect the strength, smiles, hopes, and hearts of the women and children the volunteers met during their visit to
Chichicastenango in the spring. The open house, held on August 22, 2004, raised over $400 in donations. Proceeds from
photograph sales will go directly to the women’s groups Co-partners serves. The exhibit was shown at the "Everyday Gourmet"
from August through
November 2004, and will travel to the Wheaton Library in Wheaton, Maryland in 2005.
Participation Works!
In the early years of development “donors knew best”. They decided which projects were needed with little input from
beneficiaries. In the nineties, in the face of many failed programs, development workers began to listen more closely to the
communities and individuals they served. As a small organization, working with (relatively) small amounts of money, Co-partners
has been able to listen even more closely than most donors to the women it supports and to allow them to choose projects and
activities they believe will work.
The mid-year newsletter reported on classes in El Salvador in “hair-dos” (peinados) and handbags made with plastic canvas,
activities that project advisors would never have selected, but which Nueva Esperanza members consider to have been highly
successful. In Guatemala, members tried raising sheep and chickens, before determining that donations are best used for micro
credit. In selecting the activities they consider potentially most successful, both groups have been through a learning process that is
important to their current success and to future development.
In Guatemala ASODEMUK initially established its own set of regulations for micro lending with Co-partners donations, however
this year when the group became part of a second micro lending program, Genesis Empresarial, they decided to standardize
procedures for the Co-partners program with those of the larger organization. Genesis Empresarial is a non-profit organization with
15 years of experience in micro lending in Guatemala. Many members of ASODEMUK are participating in Genesis Empresarial’s
village banking program that allows women 1) to borrow approximately $200, 2) has a loan period of six months, and 3) is
structured through small borrowing groups where members assume responsibility for repayment of the loans of fellow members if
they default. With ASODEMUK’s entrance in the Genesis Empresarial program, Co-partners’ donations are now being used for
loans of less than $200 for women who are not yet ready for larger loans. Women are successfully producing crafts, raising
chickens and pigs, making school uniforms to sell, and selling flowers and corn husks (used to make tamales).
Skill Share 2005: Volunteer Opportunities
Co-partners’ volunteer program, which has been introducing new volunteers to Central America for the last three years, is
seeking volunteers for the coming summer. In Guatemala volunteers work for several days with the Co-partners groups and spend
two days appreciating touristic Guatemala. The El Salvador trip is physically rougher since there are no tourist accommodations in
Ilobasco, but offers the opportunity of learning about Liberation Theology and the martyrs of El Salvador’s civil war.
Volunteers need to have a little Spanish, perhaps a semester, and be able to pay their own expenses. Each year volunteers
include donated computers in their luggage and help with the installation of the computers. The trips will be scheduled during the
summer—June, July, or August. If you’re interested, please call or write.
Christmas Doves Still Available
Many families have started the custom of making charitable donations rather than giving “stuff” for Christmas. If you know
someone who would like to receive a peace gift, rather than more stuff, Co-partners can help. For contributions of $50 or more,
specified as a “peace gift”, Co-partners will send a notice of your gift accompanied by a colorful, made in El Salvador, wooden
tree ornament. Shaped like a dove, the ornament measures 2 ½ inches on each side. For delivery by Christmas, please order your
peace doves early.
Co-partners of Campesinas, Board of Directors
Archer Heinzen, Chairperson
Michelle Schuster, Secretary
Jim Heinzen, Treasurer
Donna Breslin
Julia González
Claire Schuster
El Salvador Assistant
Víctor Manual Ortega
Guatemala Volunteers
Catalina Ventura
Tomasa Guarcas Sis
La Nueva Esperanza, Board of Directors
Rosa Flores, President
Evelia Flores, Vice-President
María Delmy Bran, Secretary.
Maria Eduvina Peña, Treasurer
ASODEMUK, Board of Directors
Ana Suar, President
Josefa Larios, Secretary,
Candelaria Ignatio, Treasurer
Sebastiana Toh, Vocal
women’s education and empowerment in developing countries in Latin America. New Hope (La Nueva Esperanza in Spanish) is an
organization of sixty rural girls and women from four impoverished communities near Ilobasco, El Salvador, who meet weekly to learn
income-producing skills and advance the education of members and their children. To attend meetings members may walk for several
hours or travel by pick-up truck. ASODEMUK (Asociación para el Desarrollo de la Mujer Kichelense) is a women’s organization located
outside of Chichicastenango, Guatemala with goals similar to New Hope’s.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Fabulous Fundraiser
In August Co-partners shared its work and raised funds through an exhibit of photographs of Guatemala taken by volunteers Julia
Gonzalez and Claire Schuster. The exhibit entitled "Caras de K'iche" (Faces of K'iche) was displayed at the "Everyday Gourmet",
a coffee shop and delicatessen, in Takoma Park, Maryland. The restaurant owners welcomed the exhibit and the opportunity to
raise awareness about Co-partners’ projects in Central America.
The pictures reflect the strength, smiles, hopes, and hearts of the women and children the volunteers met during their visit to
Chichicastenango in the spring. The open house, held on August 22, 2004, raised over $400 in donations. Proceeds from
photograph sales will go directly to the women’s groups Co-partners serves. The exhibit was shown at the "Everyday Gourmet"
from August through
November 2004, and will travel to the Wheaton Library in Wheaton, Maryland in 2005.
Participation Works!
In the early years of development “donors knew best”. They decided which projects were needed with little input from
beneficiaries. In the nineties, in the face of many failed programs, development workers began to listen more closely to the
communities and individuals they served. As a small organization, working with (relatively) small amounts of money, Co-partners
has been able to listen even more closely than most donors to the women it supports and to allow them to choose projects and
activities they believe will work.
The mid-year newsletter reported on classes in El Salvador in “hair-dos” (peinados) and handbags made with plastic canvas,
activities that project advisors would never have selected, but which Nueva Esperanza members consider to have been highly
successful. In Guatemala, members tried raising sheep and chickens, before determining that donations are best used for micro
credit. In selecting the activities they consider potentially most successful, both groups have been through a learning process that is
important to their current success and to future development.
In Guatemala ASODEMUK initially established its own set of regulations for micro lending with Co-partners donations, however
this year when the group became part of a second micro lending program, Genesis Empresarial, they decided to standardize
procedures for the Co-partners program with those of the larger organization. Genesis Empresarial is a non-profit organization with
15 years of experience in micro lending in Guatemala. Many members of ASODEMUK are participating in Genesis Empresarial’s
village banking program that allows women 1) to borrow approximately $200, 2) has a loan period of six months, and 3) is
structured through small borrowing groups where members assume responsibility for repayment of the loans of fellow members if
they default. With ASODEMUK’s entrance in the Genesis Empresarial program, Co-partners’ donations are now being used for
loans of less than $200 for women who are not yet ready for larger loans. Women are successfully producing crafts, raising
chickens and pigs, making school uniforms to sell, and selling flowers and corn husks (used to make tamales).
Skill Share 2005: Volunteer Opportunities
Co-partners’ volunteer program, which has been introducing new volunteers to Central America for the last three years, is
seeking volunteers for the coming summer. In Guatemala volunteers work for several days with the Co-partners groups and spend
two days appreciating touristic Guatemala. The El Salvador trip is physically rougher since there are no tourist accommodations in
Ilobasco, but offers the opportunity of learning about Liberation Theology and the martyrs of El Salvador’s civil war.
Volunteers need to have a little Spanish, perhaps a semester, and be able to pay their own expenses. Each year volunteers
include donated computers in their luggage and help with the installation of the computers. The trips will be scheduled during the
summer—June, July, or August. If you’re interested, please call or write.
Christmas Doves Still Available
Many families have started the custom of making charitable donations rather than giving “stuff” for Christmas. If you know
someone who would like to receive a peace gift, rather than more stuff, Co-partners can help. For contributions of $50 or more,
specified as a “peace gift”, Co-partners will send a notice of your gift accompanied by a colorful, made in El Salvador, wooden
tree ornament. Shaped like a dove, the ornament measures 2 ½ inches on each side. For delivery by Christmas, please order your
peace doves early.
Co-partners of Campesinas, Board of Directors
Archer Heinzen, Chairperson
Michelle Schuster, Secretary
Jim Heinzen, Treasurer
Donna Breslin
Julia González
Claire Schuster
El Salvador Assistant
Víctor Manual Ortega
Guatemala Volunteers
Catalina Ventura
Tomasa Guarcas Sis
La Nueva Esperanza, Board of Directors
Rosa Flores, President
Evelia Flores, Vice-President
María Delmy Bran, Secretary.
Maria Eduvina Peña, Treasurer
ASODEMUK, Board of Directors
Ana Suar, President
Josefa Larios, Secretary,
Candelaria Ignatio, Treasurer
Sebastiana Toh, Vocal
