OUR LADY OF LORETO ASSOCIATION

Trabalho, Renda e Solidariedade em Rede

Strengthening a network of women and youth entrepreneurs to increase incomes

The Nossa Senhora do Loreto Association fosters leadership in youth and women by creating job opportunities and realizing socio-educational and cultural activities. Their objective is to disrupt the reality of violence, unemployment and low educational attainment in their community. They intend to work with public officials – who are often absent – to change this scenario.

The Balaio Network is an initiative of the Association and was created to strengthen the local solidarity economy by clustering women and youth-led enterprises. The network helps ensure sustainability and income for the groups in a tough market where resources for raw materials are scarce.

Their project proposes to develop the enterprises’ training and collective marketing to strengthen their economic and political effectiveness and increase incomes. The project will help women and youth, who come from low-income, marginalized neighborhoods, to encounter income generation opportunities.

With support from BrazilFoundation, the Association will:

• Train 51 women and youth from 7 enterprises in 3 municipalities from São Luís;
• Hold workshops on management, production and marketing;
• Address issues such as the solidarity economy, fair trade, solidarity funds, feminism, youth;
•Provide mentoring and systematic follow-up;
• Provide support to consolidate the Balaio Network’s political identity.

Impact

51 women and youth with stronger enterprises
Expanding work and income alternatives
Strengthening the solidarity economy

“Together these productive groups seek to overcome segregation and violence, using the solidarity economy to generate work opportunities and autonomy.” – Nossa Senhora do Loreto team