Guest Author - Rev. Jackie O´Neal S.T.M.

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Social Entrepreneurship

By Jackie O’Neal

I’m inspired by the mission of C.E.O. women (Creating economic opportunities for) , a non-profit whose vision encompasses improving the quality of life for low-income and refugee women, and empowering them to become economically self-sufficient, productive members of their individual communities.
C.E.O.’s progressive and unique programs offer extensive training for women in several key business areas such as: financial literacy, entrepreneurship and English as a Second Language.

Another crucial component of the program includes support in getting access to capital. C.E.O. provides its entrepreneur graduates a viable opportunity to open savings accounts whereby each dollar is matched at a 2:1 ratio. In addition, cash grants of $1,500 are available to qualified applicants in an effort to assist them in developing their businesses.

Farhana Huq, founder of C.E.O. women, initiated the project in 2000. Huq is the recipient of the 2005 Innovation Award for micro-enterprise development in the United States and the 2004 Isabel Allende Espiritu Award for Self-Empowerment.

Based in California, the organization gets involved in strong community outreach to identify potential candidates through English as a Second Language Classess, schools, referrals from community partners, media and word of mouth.
Given the numbers of immigrants settling in the United States, C.E.O. women offers an outstanding resource for talented immigrant women who may not otherwise have access to business coaching, capital and a community of entrepreneurs like themselves striving to grow their businesses.
C.E.O. women targets immigrant women and serves over 300 women a year. The outreach to the immigrant community is intentional as statistics bear out some startling numbers:

25% of Asian women have less than a high school level of education in Alameda County (16% and 15% in Contra Costa and Marin Counties)
• 1/3 of Asian households are linguistically isolated.
• 38% of Asian households are headed by single women living in poverty
• In 2000, 19% of Latino households in Alameda County were headed by single parents
• Nearly 20% of Latino family households were linguistically isolated.
• Nearly 40% of Latinos do not have a high school diploma or equivalency compared to 14% of whites.

For more information, Visit: http://www.ceowomen.org






































































































































































25% of Asian women have less than a high school level of education in Alameda County (16% and 15% in Contra Costa and Marin Counties)
• 1/3 of Asian households are linguistically isolated.
• 38% of Asian households are headed by single women living in poverty
While 23% of the overall Bay Area population is Asian, Asian women head 38% of families living in poverty. Asian women also represent a disproportionately high share of welfare recipients and a disproportionately low share of high school graduates, in a shrinking post-boom local economy (where employment opportunities are disappearing rapidly, while prices, particularly housing costs, remain among the highest in the U.S.)
• In 2000, 19% of Latino households in Alameda County were headed by single parents
• Nearly 20% of Latino family households were linguistically isolated.
• Nearly 40% of Latinos do not have a high school diploma or equivalency compared to 14% of whites.