Affiliates
The Women's Empowerment Center for STAR
(Support, Training, and Assistance to Refugee) Women
The WE Center for STAR Women is a partnership between Women's Empowerment and the International Rescue Committee, San Diego (IRC). The STAR Center provides technical support, business training, and access to microcredit loans to refugee women in San Diego.
The largest organization providing refugee assistance in California since 1976, the IRC has helped resettle in San Diego more than 20,000 refugees fleeing violence and persecution from more than 20 countries. In 2000, IRC San Diego established the first microfinance program in the international organization to provide hands-on, intensive business counseling and microfinance loans.
The WE STAR Center, located in the culturally diverse community of City Heights, is reaching numerous refugee women and guiding them to start their own businesses, augment their families' incomes, and reduce or completely eliminate dependence on public assistance.
Among its projects is assisting the Somali Bantu Women's Cooperative, a group of 16 refugees. The group's artwork - intricately woven beadwork jewelry and embroidered linens - continues a 500-year-old African tradition. Helping these women market their handcrafts not only extends their cultural heritage, but helps ease the difficult transition to life in the United States. Other businesses the STAR Center has launched include dressmaking, licensed childcare, small retail businesses, ethnic breads, imported shoes, and many others.
How You Can Get Involved
- Invest in a refugee entrepreneur. Your financial support can provide loan capital, training resources, and materials for start-up businesses.
- Volunteer as a mentor and consultant and directly assist a refugee client with business start-up or expansion.
- Donate business supplies such as computers, office equipment, and vehicles for distribution directly to clients.
- Purchase products and services from refugee entrepreneurs. Information on the comprehensive refugee "Yellow Pages" is available at www.theIRC.org or (619) 641-7510.
Learn more about IRC at http://www.theirc.org/
Business Loans for the World's Neediest Women
P.O. Box 501406
San Diego, CA 92150-1406
(858) 486-6466
Email Women's Empowerment
www.womenempowerment.org
WE is an independent 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation. All donations are tax deductible.