BUSINESS BRIGADES INFORMATION SESSION MONTH DAY, YEAR

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION - ABOUT GLOBAL BRIGADES GLOBAL BRIGADES MISSION To empower volunteers to facilitate sustainable solutions in under resourced communities GLOBAL BRIGADES VISION To improve equality of life, by igniting the largest student-led social responsibility movement on the planet.

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION - PROGRAMS To empower volunteers, Global Brigades offers 10 skill-based programs

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – WHERE WE WORK COUNTRIES SELECTED BASED ON: Large need in rural areas Strong community partnerships Logistically feasible Safe for volunteers NEEDS THAT GLOBAL BRIGADES ADDRESSES: Basic services Healthcare Economic Programs are offered in Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Ghana

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – PROGRAMS AND COUNTRIES Ghan a Panama Dental Medical Microfinance Water Business Dental Environmental Human Rights Medical Microfinance Medical Public Health Nicaragua Honduras Business Architecture Dental Engineering Medical Microfinance Public Health Water Programs offered in each country

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – PROGRAMS AND COUNTRIES Ghan a Panama Dental Medical Microfinance Water Business Dental Environmental Human Rights Medical Microfinance Medical Public Health Nicaragua Honduras Business Architecture Dental Engineering Medical Microfinance Public Health Water Programs offered in each country

WHY PANAMA?

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – RURAL PANAMA STATISTICS Typical family lives on less than $3 a day Average level of education is approximately 6 th grade Community members are often excluded from access to financial institutions due to costs, distance, requirements, and discrimination Community members are unable to tap into financial markets PANAM A NICARAG UA COSTA RICA GUATEMA LA BELIZ E EL SALVADOR HONDURA S

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – RURAL HONDURAS STATISTICS 15 in 20 people in Torti, Panama do not have access to credit and savings opportunities

WITHOUT ACCESS TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND EDUCATION, ON AVERAGE WOMEN WOULD MAKE LESS THAN $1 PER DAY

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – BUSINESS FOR EVERY 1 BUSINESS VOLUNTEE R $100 HELPS SUPPORT A COMMUNITY BANK = Bank Capitalization Loans and Loan Screening Infrastructure Development Organizational and Administrative Support USED FOR:

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – HOW BUSINESS HELPS BUSINESS IS CONNECTED TO Education Sanitation and hygiene Economic potential ACCESS TO CAPITAL & CONSULTING Increases financial literacy to strategic business development Encourages family financial planning Decreases risk of loan sharks WHAT ARE THE BUSINESS ISSUES? Communities lack access to banking system with fair interest rates and loan acceptance Families lack basic financial understanding

HOW DOES BUSINESS BRIGADES HELP?

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – WHAT A BUSINESS BRIGADE IS BUSINESS BRIGADES Financial education and micro-enterprise counseling are provided to community members during 7-day trips to Panama Volunteers break up into small groups to meet with business owners or family members and work out a business, administrative, or investment plan proposal Volunteers work in close contact with community members to implement thorough and precise family or business assessments Each student provides a $100 donation to support the community bank, which in turn is used to support many aspects of economic development within the community, including bank capitalization, projects within the community, and supporting the community bank

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNITY SELECTION Based on - Need - Access to loans and banks - Community commitment SUSTAINABILITY ASPECTS Community banks - Community led - Self-perpetuating and autonomous - Provide continuing loans In-country staff - Train community banks - Work with community banks to hold financial literacy workshops between brigades

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – BUSINESS TEAM BUSINESS BRIGADES TEAM Leads your brigade Performs community follow-up Train community to perpetuate microfinance system Build community relations - Works with community in preparation for brigade arrival Advises chapters with brigade preparation

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – WHY WE WANT YOU YOUR BENEFITS Contribute to sustainable change - Provide a community access to capital, savings, and economic potential Education application - Consulting & business application - Spanish language immersion - Business plan needs & solutions - International development experience COMMUNITY BENEFITS Empowerment - Students empower communities - Reinforces communities commitment to their economic development Investment for loans

WHAT DOES A BRIGADE LOOK LIKE?

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY

DAY 1: ARRIVAL & BUSINESS INTRODUCTION Transportation to compound - Electricity, showers, and bathrooms - Beds, bed linens, and pillows - Limited internet Panama and Business Brigades introduction - The Global Brigades model - Microfinance and economic development - Community banks, Community Development Fund, and cooperative development - Cultural Sensitivity

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DAY 2: COMMUNITY INTRODUCTION, ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY BANK Community leaders meeting - Question & answer session - Leader’s perspective Plan for the weeks’ workshops Build trust Get to know the people and community that you will be working with

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DAY 3, 4, & 5: FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND BUSINESS CONSULTING FINANCIAL EDUCATION Develop and present educational workshops on various financial education topics: savings, wants vs. needs, making a budget, financial goals, etc. BUSINESS CONSULTING Assess financial literacy Assess family business Identify revenue generating activities (family or microenterprise) ROI calculations Creation of an operational and administrative recommendation plan

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DAY 6: PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION & CULTURAL CELEBRATION FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS Presentation of the recommendation plans Providing marketing and operational recommendations Update business profiles MEASUREMENT & FOLLOW UP Briefing about the following steps to follow In-country team commitment to continuous maintenance of projects

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DURING THE WEEK: CAPITAL INVESTMENT Volunteers allocate $100 investment Investment goes to the Business Program, where the donation can be dispersed as: - Seed capital - Match savings accounts - Business investment - Investments can be disbursed as loans, which are paid back to community banks for future loan disbursement

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – ITINERARY DAY 7: DEPARTURE Start planning for next brigade - Set goals - Leadership positions Share experiences with donors, friends, & family Get connected through Global Brigades’ networks - Updates on your community and projects

HOW DO I SIGN UP?

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – TOTAL CONTRIBUTION HOW IS YOUR BUSINESS BRIGADE FUNDED? Volunteers’ Program Contribution: - $890 (Panama) - Brigade expenses - Program sustainability - Airfare: Variable PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION DETAILS 7 day program (Panama) Accommodations & meals (vegetarian options available) Clean drinking water Airport pick-up and drop-off In-country transportation Spanish translators and coordinators, and security Program sustainability and follow-up between brigades Project Fund: $100

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – RESOURCES FOR YOU FUNDRAISING TOOL Send links of brigade project information to donors Create personalized profile to share with your donors Track donation progress on individual and group level STUDENT RESOURCE SITE Brigade planning materials Collection of reports from past brigades Community profiles Frequently asked questions IN-COUNTRY ADVISING TEAM Team of trained staff in Panama Share best practices for all aspects of brigade preparation Answer questions about brigade and community

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – CONTACT INFORMATION Contact your advisor for information about Business Brigades in Panama Don’t know who your advisor is? g

BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – JOIN THE NEXT BRIGADE NAME LAST NAME President Phone Number NAME LAST NAME President Phone Number

QUESTIONS? Don’t Hesitate to Ask