Community Empowerment Network Information

We are a US-based non-profit organization which empowers communities with the ability to break the cycle of poverty and foster long-term, sustainable development by: ► building a foundation of basic skills and mindsets that encourages residents to be proactive in controlling their lives and futures ► providing the skills and resources they need to lead their communities, build sustainable livelihoods, and improve their quality of life ► overcoming structural barriers, such as weak local value chains, poor infrastructure, and insufficient access to capital and markets, that would otherwise interfere with their long-term success ► Soft Skills The key to a strong foundation for self-reliance within individuals and communities is strengthening basic skills and shaping new mindsets. We empower individuals and communities through our PRATICAR mentoring process that builds important soft skills such as problem-solving, discipline and critical thinking. This process fosters self-confidence and self-sufficiency, traits that lead to sustainable community development and sustainable livelihoods. ► Build Sustainable Livelihoods We seek to help small stakeholders to build sustainable livelihoods, such as producing agricultural products with higher value than traditional crops, value-added agriculture, services, and handicrafts. To accomplish this, CEN provides awareness of potential opportunities, builds key soft skills and mindsets, provides effective services to develop skills, and addresses structural obstacles. ► Grassroots Community Development To ensure that the visions and aspirations of the communities are incorporated into the development process, we mobilize communities and ensure that local community members are the key players in the process. We also build the communities’ capacity to develop from the bottom up. Through this process, the communities strengthen their capacity to help themselves and develop the ability to break the cycle of poverty.