More about What I Do: My Support Network

I'll try to make this quick...

I gave you a tour of the barrio and our projects so that's the heart of everything of what I'm doing. So thanks to the relationships the Mujeres and the past Volunteer built, we have angels and helping able hands around us ready to assist. This is just an introduction to some of them. I'm actually still trying to learn and figure out some other people/organizations that have contributed to the Mujeres. Again, could be a simple conversation, but my language limitations make it hard to get an exhaustive list as in the ten years they had been around, naturally they have received assistance from different organizations over the years.

My Main List of Organizations/Characters:

Again not wanting to name names....but...

The US Consulate here in Ecuador. Cool right? That's what everyone says. It just makes me nervous as I know the Ladies have a lot of expectations and I feel like any false move and I can ruin what was so delicately built. The credit of this relationship goes to the volunteer who came before me (Super Tere!) and all I gotta do is Maintain! the relationship. Why I liken it to an egg on a spoon relay race I have no idea...but that's how I feel sometimes. Everyone at the Consulate office that I have met is SUPER cool, SUPER helpful, A ton of them are Returned PCVs themselves so the get it. It's really a joy working with them. There is new Consul General now, that I haven't had the pleasure of meeting. He did say he is excited about coming to visit the Mujeres one day when his schedule allows! So that is going to be a GRAND Day indeed! The Consulate has already given us bags of food since I've been here so they are wonderful to work with. I work closely with two individuals that I really like and have been soooo instrumental to any progress I have made thus far. One of those angelic individuals at the Consulate Office put me in contact with...

The American School or Colegio Americano. I work with the Director who affectionately calls himself the Gringo Loco or El Guapo (from the 3 Amigos). He's such a character with a golden heart for service and helping people. He is over the whoooole gigantic Colegio and apparently took it from poverty to prosperity! I have only seen it at it's best and I can't even imagine all the work he must have done to get it there. He ALSO contributed to a huge donation when I first to Guayaquil. He really has a vision for making the Mujeres sustainable as well which is really awesome that we are on the same page. He knows what he's doing and it's always fun to visit. I learn so much just sitting in his office absorbing techniques on budgeting, fundraising and sustainability. It's so right up my alley in things I wanna learn so I feel fortunate for that. He knows other people too that really are good at business plans and things of that nature and at the level the Mujeres want to operate we need more know how in that. So he put me in contact with....

The Chamber of Commerce! These are like heavy hitters in Guayaquil I'm working with you see? and I'm just a non Spanish speaking gringa without a clue! But do you see why I work all day everyday? I just want to take advantage of all of these resources I have and really do everything I can in these next two years to help the Mujeres get sustainable! Okay so there is one gentleman in particular who I work with at the Chamber of Commerce and he is an ANGEL for REAL! He's so sweet, so knowledgable on all things business and even has gotten his wife involved to help us. I mean just one of those people who simply want to help because it's in their hearts. He's my main man on realizing the dream of helping the Panaderia to make enough to sustain the Comedor. We suffer highs and lows together all week long but he really stays the course so to him I am grateful. We had a meeting this Saturday and he was telling me of another woman he knows with a really good heart who can help and her name is...

Phyllis (not really thought, but it's not about her org it's just her so I had to give a name) Now the Mujeres and I have actually been looking for this woman since I got to Guayaquil! Our relationship is new, but I did finally speak to her and yes she wants to help with anything she can. She's also a business woman who is able to get donations as well. I'm sure she is business savvy as well and can be instrumental in helping us develop these micro empreses (micro enterprises). So that's my newest relationship and I feel really fortunate to have some helpers.

The feeling I have "to whom much is given, much is required". Yes I have a lot of help and resources around me, but that makes the responsibility all the greater! This does not feel as minor league as I thought my PC experience would be. However, I don't feel too far out of my league either. Oh sure, I'm jumping midway into projects and this Spanish thing is a nightmare a lot of times. BUT I feel like everything that is in front of me to dive into and learn is RIGHT up my alley and I'm eager and willing to be a sponge and take it all in and apply it here and apply it when I go back to the States.

So there you have it. My network of support :)