SUSI Women’s Leadership

Micro-Grant Application

Available Funding: The WGLC is pleased to offer grants of up to $800 USD to our alumnae.

Limiting the grant amount to $800 allows us to fund multiple projects each year,
thereby maximizing the global impact of our programming. You may submit a grant
request for any amount between $100-$800 USD. If your estimated project budget
exceeds $800, consider decreasing the scope of your project. For example, maybe
you aspire to serve 400 girls in 6 regions, but that would cost $1500 USD. Can you
scale your project down to serve 150 girls for $800? Keeping projects small can help
you deliver higher quality results to those you serve.

Cost-effectiveness/Cost-sharing: Include only items that are necessary and

appropriate for the success of the project. Purchase of permanent equipment such as
projectors, chairs, printers, etc. is not allowed. Institution or private sector cost-sharing
is encouraged.

Project Requirements: Your project should have a gender component. It must

support or elevate women and/or girls in some way. You are still encouraged to
include boys and men, as long as your overall project also advances opportunities
for women’s social, economic or mental well-being.

Application deadline: February 28, 2022

Email your complete application to: wglcmicrogrant@gmail.com

Steps:

Step 1: Project Overview (no more than 300 words) Step 2a: Project Purpose (one sentence)

Step 2b: Project Impact

Step 3: Sources/research

Step 4a: Key stakeholders affected by the outcome of your project

Step 4b: Key stakeholders with whom you will collaborate

Step 5a: Project Steps

Step 5b: Metrics

Step 5c: Resources

Step 5d: Challenges

Step 6: Timeline

Step 7: Budget & Justification

Step 8: Certification you completed each of the above steps

Each step has its own page and section in this application. Please pay close attention to word
limits, if noted in the section instructions. Be sure to complete all the steps when you submit
your application! We will not be able to consider any incomplete applications. Questions?
Contact us at: wglcmicrogrant@gmail.com.
Names (first, last):Cholpon
SUSI Institute Attended : Green River College
Project Title: Jailoo Camp

Step 1: Project Overview.

Provide a narrative overview of your project. Within this paragraph describe the need,
proposed activities, who benefits from progress, existing challenges, and what progress
looks like based on outcomes of your project. (word limit: 300 words maximum)

Step 2a: Project Purpose.

Next, write a one sentence Project Purpose. In other words, why are you working on this
project?

Example: To increase awareness of menstrual health, educating women and girls about the
importance of using sanitary products.

Our purpose is to empower Kyrgyz speaking girls aged 14-18 in the Naryn region of Kyrgyzstan
through a 5-day educational leadership summer camp in the mountains, dedicating each day to topics
such as women's leadership, reproductive health education (including consent and boundaries),
feminism, social activism, grant writing and skills for application to various programs.

Step 2b: Project Impacts

What will the short and/or long-term impact be on your target audience or the community? For
example, are you providing skills, knowledge or resources to help empower community
members or could this model be duplicated by others in the future?

Example: Women and girls’ health will improve as they start to use sanitary products. The
positive impact on female health will spread through the community as women share knowledge
with their friends and family members.

During 5 days camp, girls will learn about these topics:

1. Sex / reproductive education
a. Periods
b. Consent
c. Boundaries
d. Contraception
e. Fighting stigma

2. Feminism
a. What is feminism?
b. Waves of feminism
c. How to be a feminist?
3. Project Management
 a. Grant writing skills
b. Tools for teamwork
c. Time management
4. Opportunities
a. Applying for different programs
b. Essay writing
c. Scholarships
5. Social activism
a. Media literacy
b. Fact-checking
c. Social media marketing
d. Human rights

Step 3: Sources/research.
Identify the sources/research that you have used to gather information about your
project, and on which you have based this need. In other words, what data exists to
prove this is a REAL issue?

Example:
1) A World Health Organization survey indicates more than 45% of women in [Name of
Country] report feeling like menstruation is still considered taboo and hesitate to buy
sanitary products if there are men around, 2) A recent study in the International Journal
of Collaborative Research reports that nearly 80% of [Name of Country]’s women do
not use sanitary pads, 3) Cervical cancer accounts for almost 23% of all cancers in
[Name of Country]’s women, with studies showing a link between HPV infections –
which cause cervical cancer – and poor menstrual health [insert citation information], 4)
Studies show that girls’ school attendance decreases if sanitary pads are not available
due to bullying and teasing from other school children; however, when sanitary pads are
made available, girls are more likely to remain in and complete their education [insert
citation information], 5)…..

Note: For each data source, provide the citation information such as the author, year,
and publication title. Please note that proposal reviewers may lack familiarity with your
home country and region, so it is important to provide them with sufficient information to
understand the context for your project in your community and country.

In Kyrgyzstan, gender disparities persist, as evidenced by the significant gap in labor force
participation rates between men and women. According to a 2023 report on Human Rights
Dissemination in the region, while the male labor force participation rate stood at 74.4%, the
female participation rate was only 46.1%, highlighting the underrepresentation of women in
the local labor market. These disparities can be traced back to deeply ingrained patriarchal
systems, inequitable gender norms, and historical power imbalances, as UN Women's
findings on gender-based violence in Kyrgyzstan emphasized. Rooted in traditions like bride
kidnapping, forced marriage of underage girls remains a national tragedy, leaving girls
disempowered and deprived of their freedom to make decisions. The severity of the situation
is evident from the alarming statistic that approximately 37,000 girls are married off against
their will each day, accounting for nearly 15 million girls annually. Such practices are
prominent in Kyrgyzstan, where around 80% of families are formed through kidnappings,
 further perpetuating discrimination and hindering girls' access to education and opportunities.
To address these deeply ingrained challenges, initiatives like educational leadership summer
camps become imperative, offering a platform to challenge harmful gender norms, promote
women's leadership, and provide comprehensive reproductive health education, fostering
positive change and empowering girls in Kyrgyzstan's rural region.

1. Human Rights Dissemination in Central Asia, Human Rights Education and Capacity
Building in the Post-Soviet Space, 2023
2. UN Women, 2020
3. Gender-Based Violence in Kyrgyzstan: Reflections on the Spotlight Initiative, Aliia
Maralbaeva and Chiara Pierobon
4. Principles of Gender Regulation as Priorities for Sustainable Development of Political
Parties in Sovereign Kyrgyzstan, October , 2023

Step 4a: Key stakeholders affected by the outcome of your

project.
Who (individuals, groups, and/or organizations) will be affected by the outcomes of your
project?

Example:

Key stakeholders in menstrual health projects include:

a) Young girls ages 10-19, from xyz community, and attending xyz school

b) Mothers and fathers of girls in rural communities from xyz area/location

Main group: Girls 14-18y,o, living in Naryn region of Kyrgyz Republic, speaking mainly Kyrgyz language

Step 4b: Key stakeholders with whom you will collaborate.

Who (individuals, groups, and/or organizations) will you collaborate and partner with
on your project? What role will they play in the work of your project?

See examples below

Name of person / group / How will they contribute to your

organization project?

Days for Girls NGO located in xyz I will partner with this NGO to provide
informational materials and guest speakers
location
for the tea
I have talked with x number of
Teachers of public schools in xyz
teachers who have agreed to
school allow me to visit their classroom
for x times
 Regional media outlets, which include They have agreed to allow me to air public
xyz newspaper and xyz radio service announcements x number of times

“Erkyn kyz” girls empowerment NGO They have native kyrgyz speakers that
located in Kyrgyzstan are going to be invited to participate in our
project as guest speakers.

“Girls for Girls” young women They have native kyrgyz speakers that
empowerment NGO located in are going to be invited to participate in
Kyrgyzstan our project as guest speakers.

Step 5a: Project Steps

In this section you will explain what steps, or actions you will take to accomplish your
project. Listing your project steps will help you organize your efforts into a logical
workflow and make steady progress on your project.

List all steps you will take below. Remember to include any steps that will help you
achieve the short and long-term impacts you described in Step 2b.

Example:

Step 1: Identify a local NGO, or healthcare provider to partner with to host a mother/daughter tea
to discuss menstrual health in [Name of community].

Step 2: Identify our audience- make an invitation list

Step 3: Identify and invite guest speakers with expertise in menstrual health

Step 4: In collaboration with the guest speakers and NGO partner, set the date and time for event

Step 5: Confirm a venue for the tea

Step 5b: Project Metrics.

What will you measure in order to determine if you were successful? Metrics can be
knowledge gained, behavior changes, or what has been accomplished.

Note: Metrics must be specific, measurable, realistic, time sensitive (executed by

December 31, 2022) and attainable (appropriate for the scope of the project). Remember
to identify a specific town/neighborhood/school/etc. for your project.

Example:

I will measure:

a) Attendance at the tea

b) If donated sanitary products are secured, report number of products taken by

attendees

c) Verbal feedback at the end of the session (to accommodate for various literacy
levels)

d) Written feedback from an online survey sent to select participants with stable
internet access

Step 5c: Resources.

For each of the steps you listed in #5a above, identify any resources you will need
in order to accomplish it. If there is a step that does not require resources (beyond
your own time and knowledge), you do not need to include it on this list.

See examples below

Step Resources Needed

2. Identify audience and make invitation Names and addresses of women and girls who we
list plan to invite

6. Host the Tea Tea, Hot water thermoses, tables, napkins,

tablecloths, cookies, flyers, posters, 8 tables and 40
chairs, pens and paper, flip charts

7. Gather written feedback a. Email addresses of women and girls with

stable internet access and literacy level to
complete the online survey
b. Free subscription to SurveyMonkey.com
Step 5d: Challenges.
Identify the challenges to completing your project, and your ideas for the ways in which
you will respond to – address, overcome – those challenges in order to implement your
project.

See examples below

Challenge Solutions

Absence of a female women’s health

Find a health provider in another region who
provider in the area can send materials or a recorded video
message to share

Availability of invited women to attend

Ask a few of your target women what days
during scheduled time and times work best for them
Step 6: Timeline.
Create a timeline for your project steps/activities. All activities should occur sometime
between May 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022. If for any reason your timeline needs to
extend beyond December 31st, please email the microgrant team at
wglcmicrogrant@gmail.com with your request and justification. We will confirm if we
can support your requested extension prior to the submission of your proposal.

Example Timeline:

June 1-15: Research NGO’s working on this topic [in my community]

June 1- June 20: Contact and schedule meetings with NGO’s to discuss project

June 14- June 20: Locate and meet with medical doctors in [name my community] to participate
in tea

June 20- June 30: Identify location for tea and reserve a room June 20-June 30: Collect
brochures from NGO’s on topic

June 30-July 2: Work with local organizations and schools to invite mothers and daughters to
event June 30-July 2: Create a Facebook event (if applicable) to invite mothers and daughters to
attend tea July 14: Host tea

July 15-17: Create report to evaluate and measure effectiveness of smart experiment

Date or Date Range Activities to accomplish during this time

Step 7a: Budget & Justification.
Complete the budget template below. The Total Requested Amount may NOT exceed
$800 USD =. You are responsible for any additional funding in excess of the WGLC
microgrant and are required to show these expenses in the budget as cost share. For
example, if the total cost of your project is $1,100 USD, you must show $300 in cost
sharing on your budget. Include only items that are necessary and appropriate for the
success of the project. Purchase of large, one-time use equipment such as projectors,
chairs, printers, etc. for a specific event is not allowed. Smaller one-time use items like
notebooks, pens, etc. are okay. For each item listed in your budget, write 2-3 sentences
to explain what the items are for, and why you need them.

If including refreshments is an important component of your project, no more than 5%

of your total budget request can be spent on refreshments.
 Notes:
· Place all budget items in the Expenses column.
· “Cost sharing” = the value of materials, professional services, space, etc.,
that others agree to contribute. For example, if a local organization agrees to
donate meeting space valued at $50 for free, enter $50 in the cost sharing
column. The proposal review committee looks highly upon the value of
cost sharing when making funding decisions.
· Double check your calculations! Be clear about the quantities and
cost per item

What is your local currency?

What is the currency conversion rate to USD?

See examples below

Cost Cost Co TOTA Justification

Expenses Total (in per Total st- L
Quant item Sh Requ
local
ity (US Co ari ested
curre D) ng Amou
Neede st
ncy) (U nt
d (US SD
D) )
.10/cop .05U 0.00 5.00 Need paper flyers to
Printing of flyers to 100 y SD/co 5.00US USD advertise at local
advertise tea py D businesses, schools,
etc.

25.00/ 12.50 12.5 $25.00 Need a safe,

Room Rental for tea 3 hours hour USD/ 37.50 0US USD private, and secure
(community center hour USD D location. The local
will provide 1 hour community center
free) provides safe rooms
and access for all
women and will
allow me to offer
refreshments.
Because this is an
educational event,
the center will
donate 1 free hour
of rental time to us.
 xyz $ $
Grand Totals $

Step 7b: Any additional notes you wish to share about your
budget?

Step 8: Certification you have completed each of the above

steps
Review the instructions and make sure you have all the required components of the proposal:

Step 1: Project Overview (no more than 300 words)

Step 2a: Project Purpose (one sentence)

__________ Step2b: Long term impacts

Step 3: Sources/research
Step 4a: Key stakeholders affected by the outcome of your project

Step 4b: Key stakeholders with whom you will collaborate

Step 5a: Project Steps

Step 5b: Metrics

Step 5c: Resources

Step 5d: Challenges

Step 6: Timeline

Step 7: Budget & Justification

Step 8: Certification you completed each of the above steps