Fabric of Life: Micro-Lending to Fight Poverty

[HTML1] Carol Schillios of Fabric Of Life shares how micro-loans, education and respect has helped girls, who were once reduced to begging, lift their lives to productive lives that help support their families. The Schillios Development Foundation founded Fabric of Life in 2002 to support cooperative development projects directly impacting the quality of life for families living in extreme poverty in developing countries.  The Schillios Development Foundation supports three primary activities:

  • Micro-credit programs for micro-entrepreneurs
  • Increasing access to education
  • Increasing access to affordable health care

Partnerships that focus on cooperative principles of self-help, non-discrimination, social responsibility and cooperation are supported by the Foundation.  Carol’s experience in helping build micro-lending systems in developing countries with her partner in Africa has contributed to the success of educational programs that simultaneously preserve native arts and lift begging children to self-esteem.

Children, particularly girls, are given a healthy living education addressing a myriad of subjects including false beliefs about pregnancy and are taught skills that maintain the native arts of their culture.  By taking a holistic approach that respects who these young women are and gives them the resources to support themselves and their families, Fabric of Life empowers women to impact change in their own communities.

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About Robin Eschler

Robin L. Eschler, the founder of Social Impact Marketing, started her career in developing foundational marketing strategies for companies of all sizes, from Fortune 500 to individual entrepreneurs and local businesses. She has developed and implemented international campaigns to launch high tech products and services and guided new business owners to successfully navigate the difficulties of growing a business.

Her life-long passion for helping others led her into nonprofit work for over a decade. Early on, she recognized the need for nonprofits to adapt to a rapidly changing world in which technology dominates and for-profit business practices are central to success. Her determination to help social causes in a sustainable way led to her creation of the Women's Radio show Socially Conscious Investing.

Impact investing in for-profits with a mission of social change such as the fight against extreme poverty is a blossoming business sector around the world. With the economic decline, it's clear that Wall Street requires change. Social impact investing addresses that need in a way that provides financial and social ROI.

As the Host of Socially Conscious Investing on WomensRadio, Robin's goal is to educate people about the growth of social impact investing and social venture. Interviews are conducted with socially conscious business experts including foundations and nonprofits, social venture investment firms, micro-loan organizations, investors, educators, authors and social entrepreneurs.

This show's mission is to help change the world through sustainable business practices that contribute to the economy, combat poverty, end hunger and provide better lives to all.

Twice, Robin has been recognized and received the highest honorary award that Rotary International gives, the Paul Harris Award, for service above self. Her community work has included developing local programs for disadvantaged populations such as foster children, troubled teens, and people with disabilities.

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