Q&A: What are GEMS’ beliefs about development?
Q&A: What is GEMS’ history?
Q&A: Does GEMS have a code of ethics?
Q&A: Where does GEMS’ funding come from?
Q&A: How much does GEMS of Hope spend on overheads?
Q&A: How do you choose which projects to do?
Q&A: Why women?
Q&A: Is micro-lending really effective?
Q&A: How can I book someone from GEMS to speak at my club/event/school?
Q&A: Does GEMS of Hope do relief work in crisis situations?
Q&A: How can I get a tax receipt for my donation?
Q&A: Is it safe to give out my credit card information to make a donation online?
Q&A: I live in the US. Can I get a tax receipt for donating to GEMS of Hope?
Q&A: How can I work for GEMS?
Q&A: How can I volunteer with GEMS?
Q&A: How can I do an internship through GEMS of Hope?
Q&A: Can I volunteer abroad with GEMS of Hope?
Q&A: What are some other ways I can help GEMS?
Q&A: How can I stay informed about GEMS of Hope’s activities?
Q: How much does GEMS of Hope spend on overheads?
A: Great question! This is something worth asking any non-profit. In our case we’re happy to report that we have few staff and do our best to operate efficiently and economically so that we can assist as many women and youth as possible. Whenever we can, we get volunteers to help us out with administrative tasks so that we can continue to implement as many projects as we do.
GEMS of Hope is audited annually and enjoys being transparent and accountable with the donations we receive. What does that mean? We as an organization want you to be aware of our activities and to be satisfied that your donation has been worthwhile. So we encourage you to ask questions and are committed to giving you honest and forthright answers.
Q: How do you choose which projects to do?
A: GEMS selects local partners who are well established within their respective communities and have demonstrated a strong track record of working with marginalized women. We look for partners with a commitment to our values and a similar vision and understanding of the importance of integrated projects combining micro-lending and other services and training. Partners must also have proven transparency and accountability.
We do a lot of background research before deciding on the right project, taking into account things like the country and local contexts, the need and how it was identified, the capacities of our potential partners, the risks, and the chances for real impact. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, GEMS makes sure that local women and their families are involved at all stages of project planning and implementation.
Q: Why women?
A: To answer this question let’s touch on just a few facts
- In Latin America, there are approximately 60 million women living in rural areas who work more than 12 hours per day to ensure the subsistence of their families. The majority of these contributions are not recognized or compensated within the formal economy.
- The vast majority of illiterate people and those who have been unable to attend school in the developing world are women (United Nations Development Program - Human Development Report 2006).
- Studies still show that women in the developing world earn significantly less than men.
- In Latin America, women, especially in rural areas, have limited access to and control of land and property. Most legislation that directly or indirectly regulates access to land discriminates against women (Sustainable Development Department, Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations).
- Ample evidence has shown that increases in women’s access to education and income generating opportunities are linked to things like lower fertility rates, increased female autonomy, and improved child health and nutrition. These improvements are also directly linked to a higher level of general development for the country.
- When women are more empowered, everyone benefits! In our experience, at first many husbands have been reluctant to allow their wives to receive microloans, services and training from GEMS of Hope. However in most cases once the husbands experience the positive impact on their families, they change their attitudes and begin to accept their wives’ entrepreneurial endeavors.
- Assisting women to empower themselves does not mean that we work only with women. We also focuses on youth and work with men to combat negative behaviors and views towards women.
Q: Is micro-lending really effective?
A: Microfinance started in the 1970s in Bangladesh and Brazil. At that time there was skepticism that poor people in developing countries would make good candidates for loans. Early results showed that given the opportunity, people with very low incomes and little to no collateral have very high rates of loan repayment (for GEMS’ projects it has consistently been at or above 95%) with interest. Group lending is often used so that members of the group put pressure on each other to ensure repayment.
GEMS of Hope has extensive experience with both group and individual micro-lending models. In GEMS’ experience, micro-lending is certainly effective, as it ensures that women have the necessary means to build their micro-enterprises, purchasing more materials up front for increased savings and stability.
However, we have found that the effectiveness of micro-lending is greatly increased when it is integrated with education on topics like sexual and reproductive health and women’s rights, with skills training, and with access to basic health services.
Micro-lending in developing countries is not only important for female entrepreneurs. In fact, the success of their micro-businesses has a beneficial impact on the entire country, since developing countries rely much more heavily on such businesses for overall employment and output (estimates are that in many countries this “micro” sector represents over 80% of all employment).
Q: How can I book someone from GEMS to speak at my club/event/school?
A: We understand the importance of not only engaging locals in the countries where we work, but Canadians as well. Please contact us with the details of the occasion you would like GEMS to present at and we will see what we can do. For more information about getting involved check Ways to Support Us.
Q: Does GEMS of Hope do relief work in crisis situations?
A: Generally not, but we have in certain situations where we already have partners on the ground who are well positioned to provide aid efficiently.
Q: How can I get a tax receipt for my donation?
A: Tax receipts will be issued upon receipt of your donation either by GEMS, CanadaHelps or the United Way depending on how you donated (see Ways to Support Us for more information).
Q: Is it safe to give out my credit card information to make a donation online?
A: CanadaHelps handles our online donations. It is, itself, a very well established registered charity that specializes in SSL-secured, 128-bit encrypted online donations. If you are uncomfortable with this method of donating, please check Ways to Support Us for other options.
Q: I live in the US. Can I get a tax receipt for donating to GEMS?
A: You are eligible to make a tax deduction for a donation to GEMS only for the amount of your income that comes from Canadian sources. However if you wish to give a donation of $1,000 Canadian dollars or more we can provide you with a tax receipt even if you have no income from Canadian sources. Please contact us for details.
Q: How can I do an internship through GEMS of Hope?
A: GEMS has supervised interns from various college and university programs. Contact us to find out if there is a potential fit with the requirements of your internship.
Q: Can I volunteer abroad with GEMS of Hope?
A: Unfortunately not. We are not a volunteer sending organization and do not have the number of staff necessary to oversee international volunteer placements. However there are all sorts of organizations that do receive volunteers for a whole range of causes; we recommend that you check on Idealist to find an international volunteering opportunity.
Q: How can I stay informed about GEMS of Hope’s activities?
A: Join our mailing list, Facebook group, read our blog and check back on our homepage often!
