Empowering Individuals in the Global Community Through Entrepreneurship
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Taylorsville • Somewhere in the world, a woman in a developing country might get a chance to start her own business thanks to a group of youngsters at the YMCA Community Family Center.
Students spent a recent afternoon adding decoupage to Christmas ornaments, to be sold at Whole Foods markets for $5 apiece through December.
The money will go toward the Whole Planet Foundation, which provides microcredit, typically $150 to $300 loans, to people who live in the world’s poorest nations. The loans allow would-be entrepreneurs to start small businesses and support themselves and their families.
Before students began dipping their paintbrushes into Mod Podge and sticking colorful tissue squares onto glass bulbs, they learned about the microcredit system, developed by 2006 Nobel Peace Prize co-recipients Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank, advisers to Whole Planet Foundation.
Whole Foods and the YMCA of Greater Salt Lake teamed up for the cause.
“The project is a win-win for everyone,” said Sondra Stephens of Whole Foods. “Students learn about world poverty issues, make an ornament that is sold at our stores with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting the poor families they learned about, and make a difference for those in need.”
Students viewed photos of people living in ramshackle huts, heard about their lives, then got to work on their ornaments.
“I’m really happy that I get to help out because some people don’t have anything,” said Taylorsville Elementary School third-grader Alaya Lopez.
Added Alec Adams, a John C. Fremont Elementary School fourth-grader, “I think it’s kind of sad that they have no homes or food. It feels good to help.”
Corrine Piazza, of Whole Foods, said American kids often don’t realize the conditions others live in.
“We teach them that not every kid has clean water, food, clothing, bathrooms,” Piazza said. “It’s sometimes shocking.”
Students from Rose Park, Fox Hills, Redwood, John C. Fremont, Vista and Taylorsville elementary schools designed more than 100 ornaments, available at four Whole Foods locations in Salt Lake County and Park City
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