The Global Women’s Leadership Network has announced this year’s winners of the Network’s Empowerment Grant. Elenita San Roque, chief executive of the Asian Confederation of Credit Unions and Kristi Lozano, financial education specialist at San Mateo Credit Union in the USA received a scholarship that will help them work towards improving the financial status of women in their communities.
Apart from a financial award, the two winners will also benefit from technical support, expertise and guidance from the Network peers worldwide. In July Ms San Roque and Ms Lozamo participated in the Network’s scholarship programme where they attended the annual Forum as part of the World Credit Union Conference.
Along with four other women in the Network’s scholarship programme, they presented proposals on how to increase access to credit, loans, savings and leadership opportunities for women in their communities. Network members then voted on the proposals, which were also evaluated by World Council of Credit Unions staff.
With this grant, Ms San Roque will work with Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative in the Philippines to establish a business development centre to advance women members’ entrepreneurial and leadership skills. Kristi Lozano’s project will enable female students to learn and develop their financial readiness and interpersonal skills through a mentorship programme.
Commenting on the scholarship, Ms Lozano said: "The Network Empowerment Grant will enable female students to learn and develop their financial readiness and interpersonal skills through a mentorship program. I have met so many women through the Global Women's Leadership Network that have inspired me to challenge myself, and my career, that I am ecstatic about being able to extend this resource to the younger generation. This is the epitome of empowerment."
Calyn Ostrowski, director of the Worldwide Foundation and Global Women's Leadership Network added: "We are excited about the influence these two projects will have in their communities to advance the financial future of women. With over 500 women in the Network, the project winners have an excellent opportunity to leverage their peers' expertise and engage globally, while making a local impact".
WOCCU created the Global Women’s Leadership Network in order to connect credit union women with fellow leaders in other credit union movement around the world. The Network works to advance credit union women in leadership positions and it currently includes 700 women from 40 countries.
