Job Training Curriculum Timeline:

1) Find good curriculum (no need to reinvent the wheel!)

2) Adapt curriculum to our community's cultural context

3) Teach job training curriculum

Four things to keep in mind while writing/adapting curriculum:

1) It should be specific. Generic management training is low in demand.

2) It should be impact driven. It's about results.

3) It should be sustainable.

4) It should be demand driven. We need to offer classes that focus on items that the women can and will apply, not items that we think they should use.

Financial Report

Once the image (above) appears, click on the top right arrow to enter into "full screen mode".  I've been working on this financial report since my arrival in Peru and I'm proud of the final product.  We're shipping glossy brochures from Peru back to the States early next week.  Let me know your mailing address if you would like a free copy.  Otherwise, just enjoy browsing the embedded digital copy in this blog.  In order to upload a more manageable file I was forced to reduce the picture quality, so you won't see the report its finest form but at least you get the general idea...

Thanks for checking out my work!

I love user friendly technology

Bus trip to Trujillo, Peru... (Flights from Dallas, TX --> Mexico City, MX and San José, Costa Rica --> Quito, Ecuador)


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Sinergia's Report

More relevant to the purpose of the blog than the post listed below, I am excited to report that my microfinance association's first financial report will be published this week. The report will be sent to individuals and foundations that have supported our associations operations in the past as well as individuals, foundations, churches, and Peruvian business who we hope will consider supporting us in the future. The financial report contains a snapshot of the company's current financial condition as well as a income statement that shows how Sinergia has used its donations since its inception in January 2007. More interestingly, the report also contains a explanation of the vision and mission of our organziation and a couple of testimonies from women in the community with whom we work. If you would like a copy of this report to learn more about what Sinergia is accomplishing, shoot me an e-mail with your mailing address at drew.mcway@gmail.com (or just post it on a comment directly on this website) and I'd be happy to send you one free of charge.

Apology and Blog Venting

Apologies for totally dropping the ball for the last six weeks on the blog (this is directed at you Mom, as you are probably the only avid blog reader). Oh, and Joey Converse and Jordan Campbell (shout out!), I know you have called me out for neglecting the blog as well.

Well, right when I think I am totally settled into my new culture and my new job, Peru pitches another curve ball. This time in the form of a bureaucratic beast: Customs and Immigration. My kind family agreed to send a care package with granola, my computer external harddrive, a friendly greeting card, and - might I add, most objectionably - an old button-down collared shirt and a used pair of climbing shoes! You see, Peruvian customs has airtight restrictions on importing used clothing into the country. Nevermind, that Peru has recently climbed to the number #1 slot in international Cocain exportation. No, it's probably best to focus their efforts on clothing crossing the borders. Peruvian Fedex suggested that I hire a customs agent, men hovering around the city airport, to speak to customs officials on my behalf and "negotiate an agreement". If that's not a euphemism for "you have to bribe the customs guy holding your belongings", I'm not sure what is. The care package is currently in transit back to the US.

Women of Wichanzao, or MFI Borrowers outside Trujillo