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2009 Summer Progress Update
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 News Update |
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| Dear friends, |
June 2009 |
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Agora’s First Community Weekend To Bring Supporters Together In Nicaragua
In ancient Athens, citizens would meet at the agora to discuss the issues of the day and exchange goods and services. From July 24th to July 26th, we are bringing the agora to Nicaragua. Entrepreneurs, development professionals, local staff, current and former consultants and volunteers, donors, investors, and venture philanthropists will all meet up in Nicaragua for a weekend of service, learning, and practical & intellectual engagement with the challenge of how best to help small businesses create change in their communities.
All Agora supporters and those looking to learn more about Agora's approach to fighting poverty are warmly invited to attend. To view the program, click here. Agora Launches Women's Initiative Over the past few months Agora staff in Nicaragua, led by Michelle Menjivar, have explored how Agora can better support the work of women entrepreneurs in Central America. On May 14th Michelle hosted Agora's first Women Entrepreneur Experience Exchange. The event brought together women from a variety of industries to discuss their leadership role as small business entrepreneurs and the challenges they faced in a business culture largely dominated by men. Thanks to Michelle Menjivar’s leadership, Agora is working with leading local partners to create a full fledged initiative to support women entreprenuers.
Through this initiative, Agora hopes to become a one stop resource for information on seed funding, leadership development, management training, mentoring, and business networking for women entrepreneurs in the area. There is no single lever more important to global development and poverty reduction than increasing the status, education, and power of women. This initiative is a priority for Agora and we thank Michelle for her leadership in moving it forward. Stay tuned for important updates on this initiative. Want to support the Women’s Initiative? Contact Michelle New Associates Join Agora For The Summer New Summer Associates started May 26 with a kick off training organized by the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), a new association of organizations dedicated to helping small and growing businesses fight poverty and create wealth in some of the poorest countries in the world. Agora is delighted to announce the following associates will be joining the organization this summer. LiderES Prize Celebration Set For Wednesday, June 3 In Managua
Over 100 guests are expected tonight in Managua, Nicaragua for the first annual Lideres Prize for small business social impact and leadership. The prize, sponsored by Agora Partnerships Nicaragua with funding from the Citi Foundation, will award over $20,000 in cash and resources to small business leaders in Nicaragua who are making the world a better place through their business impact and practices. Agora hopes the competition will serve to remind the media and policy communities of the critical role these enterprises play in fighting many of society's most pressing challenges. Stay tuned for a special Premio Lideres update after the event. Agora Presents Services to Aspiring Walmart Producers
Walmart is one of Central America's largest customers and employers; having a contract with Walmart can be a transformative step for a small and growing business. However, obtaining and servicing that contract with the highest quality, productivity and social responsibility is a challenge for most entrepreneurs - a challenge made greater by scarce management support or access to the right kind of financing. Agora Nicaragua Marketing Director Jorge Arteaga spoke to over 50 aspiring Walmart suppliers about how Agora's access to strategy support, networks, and growth capital could help their businesses grow. Agora Partnerships is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to attacking poverty and building wealth in developing countries through socially responsible entrepreneurship. Agora Partnerships provides talented entrepreneurs in emerging markets with the tools, networks, and financing necessary to launch successful, socially responsible businesses - the kind that can create decent long-term jobs. We seek to create opportunities for talent to flourish in environments normally characterized by closed social networks and inefficient markets. Our mission is to identify the leadership talent of the developing world and unleash it. |
In This Issue • First Annual Agora Community Weekend • Agora Launches Women's Initiative • Agora Welcomes New Summer Associates • Agora To Award LiderES Prize Tonight • Agora Presents To Walmart Suppliers Quick Links Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs Join Our Community In The News For a great overview of the emerging impact investing industry, please see this article in Beyond Profit Magazine by Antony Bugg-Levine from the Rockefeller Foundation (free subscription required). |
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