Project 1: 

Country: Peru

Title of Program: Laundry Room Workshop

Presented by: Minister of Justice, Hon. Rosario Fernandez

Laundry Room Workshop

The Laundry Room Workshop program employs 34 inmates of the Women’s Penitentiary Institution in Lima in the gathering of garments, washing, drying, ironing and delivering of completed garments. The purpose of the project is to increase the dignity and her self-esteem of the incarcerated women by demonstrating that they can be useful persons to the society; to provide tools to increase the economic opportunities for their rehabilitation to society; and to allow to the incarcerated to carry out productive or commercial activities.

The project has improved the self-esteem and dignity of the imprisoned women by improving the image that their families have. Secondly, it has been a success on a commercial level since it offers a service of top notch quality. Third, it has stimulated in general the interest in the penitentiary to carry out other productive and commercial activities.

Project 2:

Country: Singapore

Title of Program: Many Helping Hands

Presented By: Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Hon. Yu-Foo Yee Shoon

Many Helping Hands

The “Many Helping Hands” project addresses key challenges Singaporean women face by facilitating better work-life balance. The promotion of work-life harmony in Singapore is spearheaded by the Tripartite Committee on Work-Life Strategy, which comprises multiple key stakeholders such as employers, unions, human resource institutions and the government. The Singapore Government unveiled an enhanced Marriage & Parenthood package in August 2008. The heightened emphasis on work-life balance in this package enables women to integrate their work, personal and family commitments. Singapore offers affordable, accessible and quality family support services ranging from childcare to student and eldercare to help families. The people-sector led National Family Council organizes family support programs such as parenting, marriage preparation and enrichment, as well as inter-generational bonding and counseling.

Project 3:

Country: Chile

Title of Program: Genetic improvement of Alpacas in Small Producers of the Communes of Pencahue and Curepto

Presented by: Minister of Agriculture Marigen Hornkohl

Genetic improvement of Alpacas in Small Producers of the Communes of Pencahue and Curepto

The purpose of the program is to improve the quality of Alpaca babies, by having modules of reproductive alpacas in the Region of the Maule.  The workshop of Lama Fabrics of Pencahue developed the project of raising alpaca to improve the quality of its handcrafted fabrics with the government’s support. The current project has the following components: incorporation of males’ genetic material, and search of models of reproduction in Chile and abroad.  14 women weavers of the commune of Pencahue and Curepto supported by the Foundation CRATE (Regional Center of Technical and Managerial Assistance) are associates in the project.  Through the project, 14 herds of alpacas were generated, the preparation of wool was standardized in handcrafted workshops working in each of the weavers and space is made for the sale and marketing of the fabrics. The products are sold in the region, in Santiago and they have made contact for future trade with Spainand Italy.