ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN
Daniela has gained in-depth experience during her twenty-five-year career working mostly with women, as they represent most of the beneficiaries she had worked with. Her experience also includes working with native populations, often a focus in women’s development in rural and urban areas that demonstrate substantial needs such as organizational development and adult learning methodologies.
Those projects were successful mainly due to the development of a variety of training materials supported by visuals and case studies sensitive to the reality and needs of each woman's initiative. The programs also took into account the different formats and timing women need to be engaged in training due to their household needs, especially in rural areas.
Some experiences:
PROGRAMS FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND YOUNG WOMEN
UNESCO GRENADA- Empowering Women Artisans through Business Training and Product Design Mentoring
UNESCO Grenada - National Commission through Secretary General Kisha Gallineau, requested International Consultant Daniela Viscarra to develop a Training Program directed to Women Artisans in Grenada which would benefit 20 participants.
Based on the consultant's experience, this specific training should be sensitive to the reality and possibilities of the artisans that are in need to transform their activity to a stronger small business that in time, provides income and reaches sustainability.
Opening Day. UNESCO Grenada Secretary General. Museum of Grenada Representative. Artisans.
The program also encompasses basic business strategies and improving existing handmade products created by the ladies through a Product Design Mentoring.
The Artisans Assessment was completed by the consultant during the first day of work with 22 artisans each bringing their products to the meeting. The Market Assessment helps the participants to understand the different experiences tourists will have in Grenada.
The Cultural Assessment includes arts and craft production of the country using the information available. The workshop had a great timing in Grenada due to the presentation of the book: Grenada Heritage by Dr John Angus in the same week which could be used as an inspiration for new products.
For a short-term is possible to provide a general Product Design Mentoring and consists in a two hour personalized training and focuses on the specific needs of each participant's small business. Provides guidelines for improving the existing products and gives some ideas for products in different categories and price points that the artisan can explore in order to diversify and raise their income.
Afghan Women Design Center. Working with young women in difficult environments such as Afghanistan was an important challenge for Daniela. The Design Center, was a project from Aid to Artisans aiming to provide Afghan women entrepreneurs with trends information, cultural research and training programs so they improve their access to the market, the quality and innovation of their products and their own development as entrepreneurs. Daniela was in charge of developing the training programs, working directly with women in the technical aspects of production as well as business and marketing needs for their small businesses.
A Design Mentoring Program was also developed and directed to young women in Kabul in order to provide them with the proper tools for working in design and product development as junior designers in a country that didn't have any design programs in universities. The consultant designed and developed the complete 18-month curriculum and competences for the program; the selection criteria for women between 18 and 22 years old, the interviews to the young applicants and gave the training for the first part for the program preparing the teachers.
"Women Producers Academy" in another Afghanistan province: Herat. Daniela has also been a product and training consultant for client Global Goods Partners and their project. The trades in the Academy were silver work in jewelry, embroidery and sewing, so the product design included all the media in almost every product. The work also included capacity building and training to the Academy Staff.
WOMEN IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES LINKED TO COMMUNITY TOURISM
Lake Titicaca CODESPA project. Daniela led a Training Program in three communities from the region: Sun Island, Sahuiña and Moon Island; a famous tourism destination that was the focus of a Community Tourism Project. The training program also included developing women’s organizational skills and leadership and the development of feasible sales mechanisms and strategies targeting the island’s tourism market and a component of costing and pricing to assure that participants earn income from the sale of their products.
Mujer Bartolina Project. Daniela developed an assessment of handmade production and organizational performance of indigenous communities from south Bolivia for the organization Mujer Bartolina UCODEP project funded by Italian Cooperation. Twelve communities received specialized assessment benefiting 67 women.
In South Coast Jamaica, Treasure Beach Women Group and Bluefields Cotta Craft Women Group had worked with Daniela in a Business Training Program and a Product Development Program as part of the Community Tourism Project (USAID), implemented by Small Planet Consulting. The program was designed to enhance and update their designs and develop better strategies for their businesses. For Treasure Beach WG the focus was on the diversification of their lines and the improvement of their store. The impact in their sales after the PD program was remarkable. For Cotta Crafts the focus was on the redesign of their workshop and the improvement of their branding. A products and profiles Catalogue was developed for both groups.
PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN ORGANIZATIONS AND NGOS
Mongolian Quilting Center. The consultant advised the founder and staff regarding new projects for the organization and contributed with the design and writing of them. Product Development, Design, Retail Curation and Exhibition redesign were also contributions to the organization that has more than 2.000 women from vulnerable backgrounds trained in quilting trade.
Gregoria Apaza Organization (GAO). The consultant, along with her team, created a retail sales strategy for GAO with the aim of benefitting the artisans technically trained in the organization. This led to the creation of the "Mama Rawa" store concept. including the brand design, merchandise, staff training, product development with 15 artisan groups, store design and management, furniture design, set up and marketing plan. The store was a success.
