Giving Compass' Take:

• The crowdfunding community at GlobalGiving helped two women raise funds for their cooperative and opened doors for them as future entrepreneurs.

• In what other ways can the social sector help increase women's potential for entrepreneurship?

• Read about the success of crowdfunding campaigns.

Kennedy Leavens, who fell in love with Peru as a tourist, founded Awamaki in 2009. This non-profit grew to serve 150 women in eight cooperatives by empowering them to achieve a reliable source of income and a connection to global markets for their handmade goods.

Two Awamaki members received an invitation to travel to Santa Fe, New Mexico, home to America’s largest folk art market, but unfortunately could not cover the cost of the trip until Awamaki joined the crowdfunding community of GlobalGiving to raise the necessary funds.

We had no previous experience in online fundraising, but we figured we had nothing to lose.

Awamaki got started with a time-bound campaign, and by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people, Awamaki hoped to receive the financial boost they needed to take on Santa Fe.

As Awamaki continues to harness the power of the crowd, new vistas open for women artisans in rural Peru.

Read the full article about crowdfunding at GlobalGiving.