A grant has been awarded to Friends of Hand in Hand International.

Founded in 2003 in South India, Hand in Hand is a global network of NGOs who share a vision of reducing poverty and building gender equity through a community-based approach, characterized by self-help, entrepreneurship and community development. The network works towards women’s economic empowerment and resilient livelihoods to create sustainable change for families.

The issue being addressed is the deep level of rural poverty and hunger in Nawabad Arabha, Afghanistan, which is exacerbated by gender inequality and the lack of women’s economic empowerment. Located in Balkh Province, women and families in Nawabad Arabha are highly vulnerable due to this entrenched poverty, lack of opportunity and skills, climate threats and the marginalization of women. This will be addressed using Hand in Hand’s integrated training program surrounding livelihoods, enterprise creation and women’s economic empowerment. By training women to run microenterprises, the project will vitalize community income generation, with ongoing revenue through local market linkage. Evidence shows that women fund basic needs (health, education) at double the rate that men do. Further independent studies of Hand in Hand’s work in Afghanistan shows significant improvement for women’s empowerment, with up to 99 percent of female participants reporting improved mobility, access to markets, self-confidence and capacity to influence decisions around household spend. Moreover, local men report improved attitudes towards women’s autonomy and economic independence.

The funds will support poverty reduction and economic empowerment for  Afghan women through Hand in Hand’s proven 4-step model: 1) Mobilization: Following an inclusive mobilization process, Hand in Hand will create a number of supportive Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for social empowerment and savings. The SHGs will be trained in group management, leadership, and life skills including numeracy and literacy. The trainers will be local women recruited as Village Enterprise Facilitators (VEFs) to embed knowledge in the community and ensure cultural sensitivity. This also reduces travel which is more secure and cost effective. 2) Training: SHGs will be trained in finance, business and vocational skills to support the creation of 100 profitable, climate-adapted microenterprises. Hand in Hand will hire Vocational Trainers to give vocational skills training that are relevant to local markets and climate resilient. Approximately half the enterprises will be in layer poultry, with others in livestock (e.g. goat rearing), handicrafts, services (e.g. tailoring) and more. 3) Productive Assets: Once members’ business plans have been approved, Hand in Hand provides them with enterprise start-up kits of core productive assets, e.g. coop, feed and chickens for a layer poultry enterprise. 4) Access to Markets: Hand in Hand supports members to reach markets through value addition training and linking members to co-operative micro-processing associations for sustainable revenue. Hand in Hand facilitates SHG cross-fertilisation visits for members requiring additional support to engage in peer learning, strengthening the local network of members.

Striving to make sustainable improvements in women’s and children’s rights, education and welfare is core to this request. Through the project, highly vulnerable and marginalized women will be socially empowered through building supportive networks and radically increasing their mobility and agency. When women earn an income, the benefits for children in health, education and housing are significant, with research showing that women entrepreneurs spend far more than men on their families. To get more children into school and with brighter futures, empowering their mothers is essential.

The Foundation is pleased to continue its support to KinderUSA.

KinderUSA is the leading American Muslim Organization focused on the health and wellbeing of Palestinian children. Founded in 2002 by American physicians and humanitarian relief workers to alleviate the suffering of children and their families in Palestine and beyond, regardless of ethnicity or religious beliefs, KinderUSA seeks to provide a free, just, and peaceful future where children thrive and look forward to a productive future, like children everywhere. The charity has built 3 platforms to provide aid to the women and children who inhabit the most densely populated area in the world, with 2 million people living in 360 square kilometers of Gaza Strip

Women and children are always the most vulnerable, and in Gaza it is more drastic with over 70% unemployment for women. With the defunding of UNWRA and the halt of USAID funding to the Palestinian territories, organizations are doing their best to continue important projects in education, infrastructure, and bulk dry foods for families. To date, KinderUSA is the only organization working to empower female-headed households in Gaza through chicken farming, a unique, yet viable enterprise for women to pass on to their children. This project aims to promote the empowerment of women heads of household while focusing on the United Nation’s sustainable development goals of eradicating poverty while building economic growth. This project equips female-headed households, many raising children and caring for extended family members on their own, with 200 chicks and the necessary education, tools, and marketing skills to begin raising chickens. KinderUSA purchases the first round of live, roaster chickens for distribution in our farmer’s food basket distribution for needy families. From here, we replenish their chicks, allowing the women to continue selling on the open market to local chicken dealers and private customers, assisting them in partnering with the appropriate customers. The selected beneficiaries have an average income of roughly $1.5 a day, with a potential outcome of approximately $8 a day depending upon production. Metrics are gathered at the start of the project, income of household, living conditions, number of family members. During the project we visit the women and make sure their needs are met and document production of chickens along with monthly sales. Upon completion, they measure the same metrics coming back 1, 2, 3, and 6 months afterwards to document success or failure.

The Foundation is pleased to again support WIT, a program at YWCA Central Carolinas,  WIT is the primary comprehensive transitional housing program in the greater Charlotte area serving single women who have suffered homelessness. They can house up to 66 women at a time on their Park Road campus, where participants receive case management services, have access to their fitness center, educational workshops and social activities. Women can participate for up to 18 months while they gain the skills and resources necessary to attain and maintain permanent long-term housing.

WIT served a total of 105 women last year. Of those, 45 women graduated from our program and 34 (of 76%) successfully moved into permanent housing. Of the 45 who graduated, 42 women (or 93%) successfully eliminated at least one identified house barrier; a reduction of eviction/utility debt, increased/maintained savings and increased/maintained income. Of the women we could contact 6 months post exit, 90% remained permanently housed. They measure the number/percent of participants who invest themselves in the WIT program for a minimum of four months and enter permanent housing after completing the program; the number/percent of participants who remain permanently housed six months after successfully completing the program; the number/percent of participants who identify housing barriers and create steps to eliminate them within 2 months of entry; the number/percent of participants who have successfully eliminated at least one of the identified housing barriers at exit; the number/percent of participants who establish or maintain financial stability (by reducing or eliminating debt, increasing or maintaining savings, establishing credit, repairing credit scores, etc.).

The Foundation is pleased to again support Paso Pacifico with a grant that matches my passion for the environment and endangered species and the Foundation’s  mission of helping Women and Children through their”Building community and environmental leaders through the mentorship of women .”

Founded in 2005, Paso Pacifico’s mission is to restore and protect the endangered dry tropical forests and coastal ecosystems of Mesoamerica. In working towards their mission, Paso Pacifico empowers local people to develop more sustainable livelihoods in eco-tourism, fishing, agriculture, and forest management. They also look to advance women and children as environmental leaders, while developing strong relationships with private landowners.

Through the funding received from the McQuade Foundation in 2017, Paso Pacifico was able to support their sea turtle ranger program. This project made it possible for women receive multiple trainings in leadership, sea turtle monitoring, and also provided the opportunity for two of their female rangers to present their conservation efforts to an international audience. The growth in these women has been tremendous and they are poised to support women and girls in their communities. Funding from the McQuade Foundation will be used to cover the wages of five female rangers during a six-month period. In addition to these women rangers taking care of the sea turtle nurseries, they also conduct environmental education lessons that 50-100 children twice a month. Additionally, funding will also be used to help pay for the costs of workshops and meetings for a group of 20 young women, ages 15-20, as they learn about environmental education. Finally, funds will be used for t-shirts for the students and to help repair the Paso Pacifico bus, which is needed for field trips for these young women.

Paso Pacifico keeps detailed records of sea turtle monitoring efforts, including the date and times of ranger patrols and the measurement and identification of nesting sea turtles. This data enables them to track the activities of the rangers on duty. Paso Pacifico will document the experiences of the young women participating in the mentorship program through photography, anecdotal interviews, and through record-keeping that will track the level of participation in activities. To determine the feelings and attitudes of the young women participants, they will carry out a post-program survey. Finally, the Jr. Ranger program will be evaluated based on the number of graduates in 2020 and also through the number of children participants in citizen science events

The Foundation is pleased to again support Squash Dreamers.  Positive stories coming out of refugee communities are hard to find. This is particularly true for young girls in Jordan, where cultural norms often prevent them from pursuing as many opportunities as their male counterparts. However, Squash Dreamers is combating that narrative. They are creating new opportunities for girls that will enable them to embark on promising athletic and academic careers. They are instilling confidence in the girls so that they can make greater achievements and make more positive impacts in their communities. By developing more prominent female athletic and academic figures, they hope to give future refugee and Jordanian girls positive role models to emulate.

Given the success that Squash Dreamers had with the current program, they are seeking additional resources that will allow Squash Dreamers to expand activities and serve more girls. The funds with be used to:  Expand the team from 30 to 105 girls of multiple nationalities  Have a new set of uniforms, racquets, shoes and team gear for new players.  Host and official tournament in winter and summer in the Jordan Squash Federation.  Hire two more Full time English Directors and two more Full-time Squash Coaches  Hold 1 hour long classes on women’s empowerment, initiative, teaching young girls’ life-long skills on entrepreneurship, writing, public speaking, self-improvement and team building skills

The Foundation is pleased to award a grant to Muayenkeng Development Farmers (MDFCIG).  MDFCIG mission is to carry out sustainable agricultural and environment protection activities with children and women’s group. To carry out community development projects in schools and communities. To campaign for education for all and support poor communities with renewable and affordable energy so as to better their living conditions.

The goal of the project is to install 12 solar panels of capacity (2500W) through a series of connections that will supply solar energy to 200 houses located in the Ebase village.  The solar installation power plant project is aimed at providing a solution to the problem of lack of electricity in an isolated and abandoned village. It is intended to help break poverty and darkness cycles that exist among generations. Unfortunately, the area has reached a point where the poor inhabitants cannot afford fuel, commonly have sleepless nights and have lost loved ones through home fires. Program objectives:  To provide solar energy to 200 houses located in a rural village called Ebase-Bajoh.  To equip each household with 4 lamps of 12V and two sockets.  To enable children to receive better grades while studying in a better environment.  To prevent further incidences of fire burning homes and killing children.  To provide an innovative cheap means of home lighting as opposed to kerosene and firewood, which are toxic.  To relieve pressure put on the nature through unsustainable exploitation of forest for fuel.  To enable women to operate small appliances like grinding machines that will reduce their energy in having to physically pound the mortar in the kitchen.  Facilitate rural economic development by creating job opportunities in the Ebase village

The Foundation is pleased to again support Into Your Hands Africa (IYHA) with a grant.   The mission of IYHA is to empower youth and families in rural Uganda through education and enterprise development.

A second year grant by the Foundation will allow IYHA to continue supporting the same 55 students through the school year. Continued assistance will provide each student with an education stipend and program admittance in the Life Skills program. In addition, they will receive ten workshop lessons focusing on emotional intelligence, professional development, exposure visit to demonstration farms, technical application and motivation. Year two funding includes three career development and employability lessons including career planning, resume writing, and personal budgeting in addition to three practical workshops. Year 2 skills: Life Skills and Employability and Personal Development.  Project Management: quality control, risk management and value addition.  Demonstration Farms: Agriculture and livestock (exposure visits).  General Management of project: Adequate shelter, feeding and food quantities, alternative foods options during drought.  Specific risk associated with project: basic veterinary procedures.  Career guidance: Resume, applications and interviews.  Decision Making: conflict management and resolution.  Interpersonal Communication: communication skills, negotiation skills and teamwork.  Parent works shops.  Lunch and Learn Workshops.

The communities in Midwestern Uganda, served by IYHA are economically and geographically isolated. There are few support systems available to network and share resources. Additional challenges faced by the communities served include a shortage of skilled labor, lack of agricultural and veterinary expertise, along with physical access to schools. With 20 years of experience, IYHA has learned that education alone will not create a sustainable economic change in rural Uganda. As a response to this need, IYHA is implementing an entrepreneurial and professional development training program that combines education with entrepreneurship. This new program, Life Skills, includes in-class lessons, exposure visits and a livestock project to support students in self-funding their own education. This meets their immediate needs by funding the student’s secondary education while bringing long-term benefits of residual income, food security, and best practices in animal husbandry and economic opportunity for the local economy.

The Foundation is pleased to support BGCCVA with a grant to support educational programs in Central VA.

Founded in 1991 and opened in 1992, BGCCVA serves 2,400 boys and girls ages 6-18, residing in Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Orange and Madison for a total of six clubs. Their mission is to “enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens”. Their programs are open to all young people, but in particular, those from disadvantaged circumstances. Club programs address five core areas: education & career, character & leadership, health & life skills, the arts, and sports & fitness.

The Grant will provide funds for their year-round “It’s Elementary and Teen STEM” programs. This program serves at least 2,100 youth, ages 6 through 18, of which 66% are living at or below the poverty level. BGCCVA knows that in the absence of STEM programming offered through their programs, many area young folks would lack access to top quality educational programs. The skills learned in these programs are essential to these kids success in school and beyond. If funded, funds will be used to provide staffing, equipment, materials, and transportation for their “It’s Elementary and Teen STEM”. This program offers an opportunity for underserved youth, ages 6 to 18, an opportunity to explore creative problem solving around science, technology, engineering and math using basic and advanced design and technology. With instruction and guidance from trained full and part time staff and community professionals, participants work individually and in teams on projects, which they present to peers, volunteers, and staff.

NewBeginnings works towards eradication of poverty and inequality and to impact lives with a significance difference in the quality of life of the marginalized, women and children; dedicated to creating positive changes in the lives of women, children and the marginalized – vulnerable groups – all who envision a happier, right based, and deeply satisfying life NewBeginnings charitable Trust (NCT) is a registered and tax exempted charitable organization working to build a better society for everyone to live in. NCT primarily focuses on communities that are economically and socially remain marginalized irrespective of caste, religion, race etc. Their fight against hunger, child malnutrition and abuse, disability, gender violence and illiteracy remains focused in this vast culturally complex country.

The project is the Socio-Economic-Political Empowerment of Women / Girl Children of the Dalit and other Marginalized Rural and Slum communities in Krishna and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh. This project is designed on a participatory basis involving all stakeholders especially women and girls. The target area is Tribal and Dalit Villages (Govindapalle, Ellavathul and Mahadevapuram villages). The direct beneficiaries of the present project are: 1. The women members of the Swashakti Mahila Mandali (SMM): 2. Out-of-school children / child workers:  3. Unskilled / Unemployed Unmarried girls between 15 and 25 years:  4. Unskilled / Unemployed Unwed / divorced young mothers, below the age of 25 years: 1572 The present project is reaching out to the school-going children, between 6 and 14 years of age, belonging to the marginalized communities, through awareness programs, evening tuition centers and education scholarships. The project also reaches out to all the women / girl children of the community and their families through awareness programs on various issues (health, social, government schemes, gender health and HIV / AIDS, gender discrimination, child labor, child / adult women domestic workers, child marriage, etc. They will train 60 tribal women in horticulture and land development for cultivation. And 270 women and adolescent girls in income generating skills training such as tailoring, fan coil winding, hand embroidery, Horticulture.

NewBeginnings is promoting Self Help-Groups (SHGs). While it ensures, sensitized and right awareness built women community, It also ensures sustainable economic empowerment to make sure space for growing into gender equality and dignity.  The present project is involved directly with the formations of SHGs and it intends to motivate all women of the project area to form into SHGs, as part of SMM (MACS) and to get them affiliated to Velugu (IKP) project – a women welfare scheme by the state government.

NewBeginnings has committed themselves to working tirelessly to eradicate poverty, social and gender inequalities in all its forms and dimensions; to stand up and uphold human rights; to ensure the empowerment and capacity building of women, children and youth and strive for sustainable developments based on a spirit of strengthened national and global solidarity and thus achieve UNSDGs.

The Foundation is pleased to again support , Girls on the Run, Southern UT.

Girls on the Run Southern Utah is nonprofit organization providing after-school programs in Southern Utah that serves 3rd – 8th grade girls. We offer two programs: Girls on the Run is our program for 3rd-5th grade girls and the Heart & Sole program is for 6th-8th grade girls. Both programs target age appropriate lessons and use a fun, experience-based curriculum, which creatively integrates running to teach girls important life and social skills.

The grant will serve underserved girls from Southern Utah. The program benefits girls from Title I schools, serving those populations who are at an economic disadvantage. Girls on the Run (3rd-5th grade) and Heart & Sole (6th-8th grade) programs will be offered at an affordable fee so every girl has the opportunity to experience the program.

As a physical activity-based positive youth development (PA-PYD) program designed to enhance girls’ social, psychological and physical skills and behaviors to successfully navigate life experiences, Girls on the Run Southern Utah fills a need that no other program in the area covers. By focusing on growing a healthier emotional IQ, Girls on the Run gives girls important problem solving strategies for their minds to digest as they complete their running activities and laps. Utilizing both mind and body, girls build connections between their emotional strength and physical strength – and they become even stronger when they build each other up and support one another. They role play scenarios designed to give them real life practice in setting and keeping boundaries, recognizing and opting out of gossiping, resolving conflicts and expressing their emotions and values. The program calls upon girls to discover their courage; to plug in their “inner positivity chord” and to stand up for something. As girls grow physically stronger, they also gain a felt experience of accomplishing small goals with their team members along the way to their larger goal of completing a 5K together. Girls on the Run programs encourage girls to use critical thinking skills, welcome diversity, and discover their courage, and show empathy and compassion for others. Many activities welcome and encourage them to use their voices in a variety of ways. They define their values, learn about acceptable ways to treat people and hear the repeated message that they are worthy of respect and kindness. These lessons are so valuable; we hope that if they face a challenge or even abuse, they have the ability to reach for these tools to empower and protect themselves. Girls on the Run never turns away any girl, so these lessons are available to all girls regardless of financial position.