Brenda’s blooming piñata business
Brenda lives in the rural town of Tepecoyo. She owns and runs a small piñata making business in the center of town. Brena started the Women’s Empowerment Project in February of 2023 and since then she’s shown a passionate commitment to participating in the activities and has expressed how much she’s eager to learn. Brenda started […]
Financial Planning to Reduce Anxiety
Entrepreneurship is an exciting journey, but the path can be full of uncertainties and mental burdens, especially when thinking about managing finances. In the communities where we work, entrepreneurs participating in the Women’s Empowerment Project (WEP) face unique financial challenges as they struggle to build a better future for themselves and their families; which is […]
Freehand Drawing: A Path to Mental Wellness for Women Entrepreneurs in El Salvador.
Women entrepreneurs’ lives are a constant rollercoaster in El Salvador. They struggle for a better future for themselves and their families as they face a variety of social vulnerabilities. Economic challenges, family responsibilities, and the pressure of running a business can take their toll on entrepreneurs’ mental health. In the midst of this chaos, the […]
A Grant Filled with Opportunities
We are thrilled to announce that the International Development Research Center (IDRC), a Canadian government agency awarded a collaborative two-year grant called Women Rise to our Salvadoran entity, Asociación Programa Velasco (APV), York University, Toronto Metropolitan University, Marquette University and Pesas y Poder (PyP). The multilayered project, implemented from 2022 through 2024 is entitled: Innovation […]
5 Things Teresa Discovered About Herself and Her Business
Teresa owns Amatai, an artisan craft business where she makes decorative pieces out of clay, wood, and macramé. After two years of participating in the Women’s Empowerment Project, attending counseling sessions, and leaning on the support of Programa Velasco staff, here are 5 things Teresa has learned about her business: 1. Everything’s better as a […]
From Tears of Sadness to Tears of Joy
“I started from scratch, with nothing. Now, I’ve run my business for two years: I fulfill catering orders of up to 250 meals, I bake traditional pastries, and I cook whole turkeys. Never in my life had I thought of doing all that. I NEVER saw myself as the entrepreneur I am today. ” In […]
Toxic Stress in Early Childhood
The future of any society depends on its capacity to promote the healthy development of the next generation. Extensive investigations about the biology of stress, carried out by the most prestigious universities in the world, demonstrate that the healthy development of a child can be derailed by excessive or prolonged activation of the stress response […]
Why take a self empowerment workshop to develop a business?
This is a question that many women who were interested in being part of the Women’s Empowerment Project (WEP) ask, once hearing about the different activities that they must participate in if they want to be part of WEP. To them, this was something out of the ordinary; what does this have to do with […]
40 Women Entrepreneurs Discover Self-care Spaces
Between the recommended mental health activities, there are self-care spaces. These spaces are moments in which a person halts their daily routine to do an activity which helps them rest or distract themselves. Some self-care ideas include: reading a book, harvesting a garden, doing exercise, conversing with a trustworthy person, journaling, and listening to music; […]
Remembering and recognizing our personal history is the first step to empowerment
Our history begins before we are born. We are marked by various factors that happen during gestation, as well as our genotype. Our adventure begins when we are conceived, and from there, we begin to establish who we will be in the future. Thinking about our history is not an easy task. While some events […]
