The economic empowerment of women is critical to eradicate poverty and ensure inclusive economic growth. Women make significant contributions to economies across the world through owning businesses, being productive employees and by doing unpaid care work at home. However, exploitation, poverty and discrimination means that women are disproportionately disadvantaged economically. Soroptimist International Clubs have found solutions which help empower women in their communities and give them the skills required. Here are just some of the projects helping women to support themselves and their families, run by clubs in the Philippines, Fiji, Italy and India.

SI San Jose Del Monte
coordinated with their local government of San Jose to help unemployed women
gain training and skills. By learning how to make and sell noodles, these women
are able to set-up their own small businesses, empowering them to support themselves
and their families. Women from Barangay Sto Cristo attend a livelihood centre,
benefiting from a variety of training sessions, however the SI San Jose Del Monte session
is different in that it helps women create a livelihood that they can manage
themselves, they do not need to rely on others.

Photo: A lady from Barangay Sto Cristo learns how to make noodles

"I have attended seminars and livelihood training in
the past, but after that, no more. This Malunggay training is different. It
produced results and gives trainees a livelihood. I am now a seller of Malunggay
noodles, thank you Soroptimist International San Jose Del Monte – because of
your help, my grandchildren can go to school. With the help of organisations
like Soroptimist International, I would like to see more women benefit from
this." – Felicia Resolucion, a trainee at the livelihood centre.

 

Photo: Participants on the SI San Jose Del Monte’s livelihood programme stand proudly with their noodles, ready to be sold  

SI Meycauayan
also ran a livelihood project enabling women to have their own businesses
selling food. This time in Barangay Saluysoy, SI Meycauayan worked with 150
mothers whose children attended a local school. This area is prone to flooding,
leaving families particularly vulnerable to displacement and therefore having a
stable livelihood is difficult. By training the women in milkfish fishing and
cooking, these mothers developed skills which they can use whereever they are
to generate income. SI Meycauayan also found that women who participated in the
livelihood project gained confidence in themselves, and felt empowered by their
new-found economic independence.

 

Photo: Participants at SI Meycauayan’s livelihood programme learning how to prepare milkfish to sell

SI Mandaluyong,
noticed that increasingly girls were dropping out of school due to social
problems such as poverty, lack of encouragement and support. To combat this
problem, SI Mandaluyong used the ‘Dream It, Be It’ programme to inspire and
motivate 108 girls aged 13 to 15 years. The girls found mentors and supporters
amongst the SI Mandaluyong members, learnt about self-care, career
opportunities and much more. By running sessions with the girls, SI Mandaluyong sought to empower the girls in their education to help them be more motivated. SI Mandaluyong’s support now, will help these girls be economically empowered in future.

 

Photo: members of SI Mandaluyong conducting the ‘Dream It, Be It’ programme with girls at a local school

"Empowering women to participate fully in economic life, across all sectors is crucial for creating strong economies and healthy societies, improving the quality of life not only for women, but also for men, families and communities. It can help businesses with their operations, and has a definitive role to play in countries’ progress towards achieving sustainable development." Gitanjali Singh, Deputy Representative, UN Women 

SI Bangalore, India,
recognising that the economic empowerment of women is a significant contributor
to achieving gender equality, launch a vocational training project for women
who lived in a local refuge. These women are particularly vulnerable, and often
have no source of income to support themselves and gain independence. SI
Bangalore worked with these women, teaching them how to make jewellery and
saree tassels. By developing their skills, these women could start taking orders
whilst still living in the refuge, helping them stay in a stable and secure
environment whilst taking major steps to independence. The positive response SI
Bangalore received means that they are now looking into running the project
with other refuges.

 

Photo: a member of SI Bangalore shows women living in a refuge how to make saree tassels

SI Bologna, Italy,
wanted to help women and girls who live in Kitanga, Uganda, learn a craft so
that they can set up their own businesses. SI Bologna assisted with the
building of a sewing rooms with electric power, and provided two electric
sewing machines. These facilities have allowed women in Kitanga to run their
own business making and selling clothes, fitting this in around all their other
activities. The project has been so successful, the women are now also making
school uniforms! 

Photo: Children wearing the school uniforms made by women in Kitanga, Uganda thanks to sewing room built with SI Bologna, Italy’s support

SI Ba, Fiji,
sponsored a workshop for empowering women through skills training. This
workshop taught 33 women how to make quality bags and baskets, and followed up
with them to further develop those skills. Not only were the workshop participants
able to make these products, they are also now able to train others and help
empower other women too. SI Ba has helped the Ba Women’s Forum for a number of
years, providing the trainers who play a vital role in empowering the women who
attend the workshops.

Photo: women learning how to make baskets to sell as part of Ba’s Women Forum