Sustainability is a huge point of focus for both LCW and LCP. While we are run primarily via donations from generous benefactors like you, LCW/LCP is working to add more programs that produce income to be used to fund other programs thereby creating opportunities to continue the work of other programs. In 2019, we brought in over $18,000 through Sustainability Projects, and more often than not, those profits are split equally between funding for programs and livelihood for the participants. The benefits are two-fold!

One of our largest income generating projects is the Chorizo Sausage Making Project. Mothers are trained in sausage making and proper food handling procedures giving them valuable skills that can be used for income in the future. They are empowered to make the sausage and sell the sausage. Half of the profits come back to benefit LCP while the mothers get to keep the other half to supplement their income and feed their family. Everyone wins! Of the $10,000 profits from last year, $5000 went to the mothers making the sausage, and the other $5000 went to fund a whole month of the preschool program budget!

For many years, the mothers have produced various types of jewelry to sell. It has been a successful income generating project with marketing in both the US and the Philippines. However, last year, we launched our first 10k gold, freshwater pearl jewelry, Hope Pearls. Sales mainly come from speaking engagements, but the entire Hope Pearl line is available for purchase online. Those profits benefit the mothers who are trained to produce the jewelry and the Wee Women Dorm. Since we launched this new line in September 2019, we have seen a huge spike in jewelry sales, and we are planning to expand the line in 2020.

LCP also opened its first rental dorm, Nanay’s Home, in October 2019. The dorm is designed to provide affordable housing to recent LCP graduates as they transition from living with their families to having their own jobs and homes. The profits from this project go directly back to fund LCP Hope Village Dorm budgets. Nanay’s Home also employs LCP beneficiaries for the upkeep. 2020 will be the a productive year for Nanay’s Home because all the rooms are full!

Other projects include rug making, lumpia (Filipino spring roll) wrapper production, sewing school uniforms and handmade teddy bears, handsewn and embroidered cosmetic bags, handmade cards made with handmade paper, embroidery, crocheted items, and more. We are working hard to provide training to our beneficiaries so they can sustain their own income and to produce income for LCP programs so we will not be 100% dependent on donations. The goal is to create sustainability for our programs, but even more than that, we want to provide our beneficiaries with skills to sustain themselves and their families. We are proud of these programs and all their successes. We look forward to  creating new sustainability programs in the future.