World Dance for Humanity
Bridges cultures through movement and helps people in need by supporting small, sustainable, grassroots projects locally and in the developing world, specifically Rwanda.
Betsy Stivers
20+ years P&G experience in Manufacturing & Product Supply (North America with global responsibilities)
Betsy currently serves as the VP of the World Dance for Humanity (WD4H) Board of Directors and is the Chair of the Business Committee. Betsy implemented a business planning and results tracking system that successfully guided the first four co- op businesses in Rwanda into profitability and is being applied across all 25 cooperatives. Betsy is not only one of WD4H’s most dedicated volunteers but also one of their most committed dancers. Also, she and her husband, Gary Simpson, also a P&G Alum, are personal donors, sponsoring three high school Rwandan students.
“P&G taught me the importance of empowering different cultures through networking and training, measures and feedback. Measuring and tracking results is a very new concept to our co-op members and that is why they needed additional training and coaching.” ~Betsy Stivers
WD4H supports 25 rural Rwandan cooperatives, home to over 9,000 extremely impoverished Genocide survivors and their families. WD4H serves primarily women many of whom are poor farmers, widows, unwed mothers, former sex workers and/or AIDS patients and is establishing businesses in each of their 25 cooperatives that will raise their standard of living and give members a chance to develop their skills and participate in a successful enterprise.
To learn more about World Dance for Humanity, click here to visit their website.
Many WD4H co-ops have established successful businesses: bakery, sewing, a café and a tilapia fish farm. Several of its other cooperatives are in various stages of developing their own businesses. Working closely with the Program Director and WD4H staff, they research and plan projects to benefit the communities. After plans are vetted with the Board of Directors, funding is sought and once businesses are underway, they are monitored closely to ensure success. Training is also provided (e.g., agriculture, business, leadership) which has had a large and positive impact in the way members approach their work and how they plan for the future.
Funding from prior P&G Alumni Foundation grants was used to support this business training providing: a business coordinator to develop business skills among the co-ops, business training for co-op representatives focused on management, leadership & basic business skills, and small business support for new businesses (sewing, bakery, and goat milk business).
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Funding from the 2018 P&G Alumni Foundation grant of $17,500 will continue the 3-day business training events for a new cadre of co-op members, as well as the start up or expansion of four (4) co-op businesses (i.e., event rental tents, beet juice production, a pig farm, and a photocopy service). Each of the new business co-ops has developed an approved business plan with the assistance of the Rwandan team, positively impacting the lives of over 9,000 women, men and family members.
“Ruganeheza: Taking the Nation to a Better Future”
Grace & Augustin’s story is one of forgiveness, strength and resiliency. Traumatized and isolated, Grace had witnessed her husband’s murder during the Genocide. Several years later, Augustin who had participated in the killing of Grace’s family sought her out and begged for forgiveness. Grace found it in her heart to forgive him and together they started the Ruganeheza cooperative, which means “Taking the Nation to a Better Future”. Since 2008 and because of the co-op’s close relationship with WD4H, Ruganeheza has grown from 12 individuals to a 4,000 strong community. A prior P&G Alumni Foundation grant helped Ruganeheza expand their ventilation brick-making enterprise, growing it into a successful, sustainable business that is lifting its members out of poverty.
“Forgiveness and reconciliation are a journey, but when you combine them with work, it is possible to make it happen.” ~Grace