Monday, August 16, 2010

More Business with CIPI

I know what you're thinking, how much time are we spending at CIPI? Okay, so a lot alright, do you have a problem with that?

CIPI is a place with so many needs, that our volunteers have found many ways to utilize their interests and talents to give the residents at CIPI opportunities for a better future. We've painted murals, taught workshops, had mini olympics/field days, coordinated year-round volunteers, and more! Associated slightly with our weekly workshops, we had a month-long Girl's Empowerment Workshop focusing on preparing girls to become young women and professionals.

Topics covered in the workshop were understanding one's identity, goal setting, interviewing and other job skills, etc...

Rules: 1. Have Fun! 2. Participate! 3. Celebrate!

The workshop worked with a small group of girls that were consistently present in all four of the series. Juliann and Kristen were the main coordinators of these workshops. The girls loved the program and HELP sees this portion of the CIPI project as a huge success for sure.

Kristen's great example of what NOT to do in an interview.


Each of the girls received a certificate for successfully completed all four of the workshops in the series.


Included as a portion of this empowerment workshop was a two-sided "Sales" project. Once a month CIPI organizes a sale of any donated clothes that can't be used for the kids there, as well as anything that the girls have made in their sewing workshops throughout the month. The team this year decided to work on this project a little more putting together an organized receipt system for the items being sold, as well as an inventory system. The girls were trained on using these basic business tools to make a more effective and efficient running sales program. This way the girls are learning great skills for the future, are being empowered through a well running program that they can confidently manage, and at the same time CIPI is getting more money through the sales! It was a fun project and something we feel will make a huge difference at the orphanage.


Juliann found something that she...liked?

Marielos, the director of CIPI has been a great support and one of our favorite partners to work with this summer. She's been so generous in helping make our projects a priority, thereby increasing their effectiveness. We will miss her!

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