For the Multiplier Event of the MAMEC Project, we had three sessions:
The first one was the 10th of May. We explained the project, the objectives and a brief description of each partner. The event was disseminated to teachers and students from adult education schools of Spain. It was held in the Centro Europa of Cuatro Caminos (Madrid). Later, we showed pictures of the MAMEC Course in the four countries: Spain, Italy, Croatia and Greece, and we discussed about the modules and the business created by women entrepreneur mothers. At the end of the session, we gave them the MAMEC Guideline and we finish with the conclusions of the project. The second session was the 17th of May. We did the same process than the first one, also giving the MAMEC Guideline to all the assistants. This event was disseminated to organizations that work with adults at risk of social exclusion, who participated in this session. It was held in our office. The third one, was the 24th of May. We celebrated this final event of dissemination in the "Secretary of State for Social Services and Equality" in Calle Alcalá 37 in Madrid. In this occasion, the results of the project were disseminated to an audience of women, young people, adults, companies, business organizations and representatives of the government that deal with education and vocational training policies and initiatives. Thanks to the invitation and participation of several institutions, the involvement of people in the project has been greater since this multiplier event met their expectations. All the personal involved in the project, volunteers, participants, political representatives. We also invited local citizens, so the project idea has been spread to more and more women who were interested in it. In particular women who are in this situation everyday (mothers that want to create their own business) could attend the event. First, we organized the whole space with an accreditation table with the folders of MAD for Europe, the program of the day, a flyer with the description of our organization, a roll-up and the event room with the screens with the MAMEC logo. After the opening of the day in which we welcomed the attendees, Katia Maccarone, Managing Director of MAD for Europe, gave a brief explanation about our organization. Next, Gregorio García-Solans, Cultural Director of MAD for Europe, and Marta Sáez, Head of the Communication Department, joined the presentation and explained, together with Katia, the European MAMEC Project: introduction, objectives, results, methodological guide, innovation and sustainability. Then, it was the turn of four enterprising mothers who told their testimony: two of them have been with their project for several years, and the other two were assistants of the MAMEC Course that we carried out last November of 2017 and, thanks to this course, they were encouraged to start their own business. Covadonga García-Solans, the first speaker, is Managing Partner of "García-Solans Tax Advisors", a company that began alone several years ago at home, while taking care of her children. Despite her difficulties, she was able to move her business forward and currently, with four children, she has an office in the center of Madrid, with employees already working with her. A great testimony! María Pascual, the second speaker, is the founder of "Catering Las Marías" (the catering service that attended our event) and, due to personal problems that got in the way, she was able to get the necessary strength to start the business at the same time She took care of her husband and children. She has been a great fighter and, thanks to her courage, she has been able to set up her catering and currently she has many clients. On the other hand, Marjore Urdaneta is the founder of "Mi Fiesta Guay", a small company that is dedicated to birthday parties in a big way for the little ones. Her motivation is to make the children smile and to be happy on such a special day for them. It was not her idea at first, but it was launched and it takes very little time, but she is very happy. The last one to speak was Magola Acosta, a mother who with four children has created "Magola's Cake", a service that makes incredible cakes. In addition to its excellent decoration, Magola said that every order they ask her, she puts the best effort to make it perfect. She had to bring her baby because she is still very small. A great example of an entrepreneur mother! The four speakers were interviewed by a member of MAD for Europe and told about their difficulties, experiences and advice for future entrepreneurs. They made a very good presentation since the four of them were talking to each other and supporting each other. We had a coffee-break where we had it with biscuits and had the opportunity to talk with both speakers and attendees. After the break, Ana Kovacs, a psychologist and entrepreneur who is part of the "Club de las Malas Madres" gave a lecture on how to face being a mother as well as an entrepreneur. She explained that everything is not perfect to have a child and that things are complicated (and much) along the way, but it is worth it. This presentation helped to understand that being a mother is already complicated, but if you reconcile it with being an entrepreneur, even more. But she also encouraged the speakers that they have to get ahead, be courageous and a very important issue: take care of mental health. The next session was led by María García, Director of Programs of the National Confederation of Women in Equality, and Silvia Valmaña, spokesperson of the Group of Universities of the Partido Popular (PP). First, María spoke about "Conciliation as a right", explaining which aids are provided in Spain to help these entrepreneur mothers and told their rights of the working mother, that everything has an impact on the birth rate: many women do not want to have children because they cannot reconcile it with their work life. The spokeswoman of the Partido Popular (PP), Silvia, defended the measures that her party defends and, together with María, they were discussing and sharing some similar ideas that benefit the well-being of women-entrepreneur mothers. At lunch time, the food was great and it was to everyone's taste and they were very satisfied. After lunch, we present a video documentary with several photos of the entire MAMEC project during these two years: the beginning, the meetings, the face-to-face course of the MAMEC in the four countries (Spain, Greece, Italy and Croatia), photos of the project process... To end the day, the last lecture was by Lourdes Fernández Molero, Director and Coordinator of cultural activities of the youth centers of the City of Madrid. Her lecture, entitled "The enterprising woman in Spain and in Madrid", was very interesting since she explained the situation of women entrepreneurs in our country and showed some examples of women who, despite the difficulties, could set up their business from scratch. The act concluded with a debate and conclusions of the act. Also, in the rest of the countries, they disseminated the project with different events. In Greece, the 2 ESP EPAL PEIRAIA, organized events for the dissemination of all Erasmus+ projects that it had undertaken and in which MAMEC Project was also presented. Three events took place from October 2016 to May 2018 where we present the Project and its results. In the rest of the countries, Italy and Croatia, disseminated the project in May 2018, at the same month that the Multiplier Event took place in Madrid. They organized dissemination meetings to show the results of the project and benefits. |