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The Women’s Fund of El Paso is different from the over 80 other women’s funds which currently exist nation wide. All formal participants in the project are women investing in women’s development by contributing their time, skills, or money. The social currency aspect of the project is taken from successful models like one found in Time Dollar USA and other models used in places as diverse as Ithaca, New York (with its Ithaca Dollars), to simple church cooperatives found in small towns across the United States. In other societies, women have developed rotating credit groups in which they all contribute and they all receive, from tandas in Mexico to mabati groups in Kenya. The Women’s Fund of El Paso draws on some of these concepts in developing stronger ties between women for stronger support that can truly enhance a woman’s earning potential. Local non-profit agencies will help facilitate the growth of these groups throughout El Paso. To reinforce the support a woman may need in order to advance in this challenging economy, the Women’s Fund of El Paso will provide the model and help educate local non-profits about the possibilities afforded women through the use of social currency. Many obstacles women face in earning living wages, raising children, and developing their talents and leadership skills can be overcome by coming together and sharing both their time and talents. Women will come together to exchange services in an atmosphere of trust, where effort is focused on generating higher value for each other’s time, experiences, labor, and creativity. Each woman, regardless of her formal education, has personal assets and skills that can contribute to another. We advocate that women come together to help one another, to exchange talents and time so we can raise the potential of all women in El Paso to earn more and lead more in areas that affect our children and community.
To learn more about Social Currency, please visit the Discussion Forums and read of Interest to Women, the fourth topic listed is Social Currency. This forum will introduce to you the concept of Social Currency and explain how you can get started today.
Click on the PDFs below to get an understanding of Asset Mapping and see how easy it is to get involved!
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Asset Mapping - English PDF
