Achievements

• One of the most inspiring achievements is that women previously isolated have now come together and contribute to a productive community. SIEMBRA's close relationship with the Otomí ethnic group has played a role in many women's growth as becoming active leaders in the development of their communities. In these roles, they assume responsibility for themselves and their own enterprises
• SIEMBRA successfully created and field-tested gender-sensitive innovative didactic materials
• We helped organize group formations under GEMS to organize members of Otomí communities
• Through a training process, SIEMBRA promotes autonomous decision-making, the control of investments earned and borrowed, as well as reinvesting income in the household and micro enterprises
• Through SIEMBRA's programs, more Otomí women have access to an important education and have learned their self-worth
• As more Otomí women participants displayed an eagerness to become involved with SIEMBRA's programs, they have become managers of their economic activities and are also board members of GEMS
• More than 1,500 women and 167 men are participating in the GEMS, and have saved and borrowed money for working capital to promote sustainability of their enterprises
• SIEMBRA's methodology has promoted collective empowerment so as to favour economic and collective strength and many entrepreneurs have been able to combat the outside exploitative and corrupt forces like traders and local money lenders
• After identifying natural leaders, SIEMBRA has helped many Otomí women to reach their leadership potential and attract more women to participate in the entrepreneurial activities.
• More collective and individual micro enterprises owners, have received technical advice from SIEMBRA to train embroidery groups and rug weavers with the selection of new innovative designs, colors, techniques. Furthermore, women have learned about the quality control of their handicrafts, selling techniques, promotion, and publicity
• The Otomí women entrepreneurs now have a place to compete in the open market. Thanks to recent donors, they now have a permanent selling location at Centro Artesanal Villa Victoria in the historical district of downtown Mexico City. Otomí artisans have also been invited to several large temporary exhibitions in Mexico City's (World Trade Center, Women's Day Bazaar, German Club Bazaar, etc.), receiving an excellent response from customers
• More Otomí women now exercise their right to participate in business activities and in SIEMBRA's training programs
• More Otomí women are ready to travel to selling locations
• Otomí women are now part of the National Network of the Indigenous Women in Mexico
• More women have gained the capacity to speak and state their opinions in front of other people
• Women have not only gained self-employment, micro credit, and income, but also more respect from their community. They have increased their self-esteem and self-confidence, and Otomí men are becoming more supportive
• On May 12, 2005, Otomí women entrepreneurs managing SIEMBRA's business advising program recently won second place in the award "Emprendimientos lidereados por mujeres" given by Red Latinoamericana de Educación Popular para Mujeres
  SIEMBRA presently networks at a national and international level
  Finally, we are very proud to share that SIEMBRA's work providing social services to Otomí indigenous people has merited the following national and international awards:
  
  • ASHOKA International 2001-2003
  • UBS Visioners (Suiss Bank) 2004
  • Se Líder Cemex - Vitromex 2005