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Partner Sustainability Grant: Supporting Social Enterprise in Ecuador and Argentina print story

November 02, 2011

Omprakash, United States

The Winners

After reviewing impressive applications from 32 Omprakash Partners, we are excited to offer Sustainability Grants to Intag in Ecuador and Voluntario Global in Argentina! These strategic grants are aimed to help our Partners jumpstart entrepreneurial initiatives that will reduce donor dependency and broaden social impact.

Grant funding awarded to Voluntario Global will support the expansion of their student-run laundromat by purchasing a new industrial-sized washing machine. The new washing machine will expand the laundromat's capacity by 50%, and thus Voluntario Global will be able to offer part-time employment and semi-professional training to more local students. Voluntario Global's partnerships with five hotels in Buenos Aires will ensure a consistent demand for the laundromat's services. Meanwhile, Voluntario Global will use the extra revenue generated from this enterprise to expand its offering of educational and nutrition-related services to marginalized children in the shanty towns of Buenos Aires. In their own words:

[Because of the grant,] we will be able to grow, to give more opportunities to the young people we work with so they can study, have a first job and to change their life for the better.

Click here to read their complete story.

Grant funding awarded to Intag will support the development of an eco-tourism initiative by enabling the construction and improvement of two modest tourist hostels in the remote Intag Valley. The eco-tourism project is designed to generate revenue while also helping foreign tourists and researchers learn about the unique cultures and ecosystems of the Intag Valley. The initiative will provide guiding jobs for local residents of the Intag Valley, and the additional revenue from the initiative will fuel the continued development of the educational enrichment programs that Intag offers to nearby schools and communities.

In their own words:

We are fortunate to be partners with Omprakash, and together, with the committed volunteers that they bring us, we are establishing healthy and sustainable alternatives to complement sources of income for the Intag area.

Click here to read their complete story.

Other Noteworthy Proposals

While we are extremely pleased to be able to support the entrepreneurial visions of Intag and Voluntario Global, we regret not having more funding with which we could support the many other fantastic proposals that we received. We received especially noteworthy proposals from the following Partners, and we encourage all members of our network to consider supporting these impressive proposals by offering help with consulting, fundraising, advocacy, or direct donations:

-Life and Hope, Cambodia: Expand its sale of handicrafts by purchasing vending space in the local marketplace
-KGSA, Kenya: Initiate a taxi service that employs local drivers and generates revenue by offering reliable taxis to tourists
-SOVHEN, Uganda: Produce and sell environmentally-friendly sanitary pads that generate revenue for the organization while also offering girls and women an affordable way to avoid missing school or work due to menstruation

Conclusion

We are very grateful to the donors that have enabled us to offer our Partner Sustainability Grant, and to all of the Partners that submitted fantastic and inspiring proposals. Please join us in congratulating Intag and Voluntario Global for their successful proposals, and in working to support the many other Partners that submitted innovative ideas for sustaining their charitable missions through social entrepreneurship!