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Title: Women's Economic Empowerment through Co-operative Farming, Vocational Training & Business Development
Location:
Categories: Human Rights
Education
Globalization
Gender Equality
Status:
In Planning
Timeline:
August 15 07 to February 15 10
Description:
To increase household income, reduce malnutrition in children and improve living conditions in rural and isolated Sierra Leone communities, cut off from their sources of employment and social services, through the empowerment of women as wage-earners and the creation of jobs. To provide women with vocational training in tailoring and agriculture.
To provide women with basic equipment to start a job and support them to become organised in community-based working units to effectively manage and run their businesses.
To establish women’s associations in tailoring and farming to represent women’s interests, provide them with technical, administrative and logistical support and promote their products in the formal market.
Background:
Due to the lack of specific implementation plans and faulty representations, local communities have not adequately accepted government and private schemes for the upliftment of women. Women have not actively participated in their own emancipation due to their lack of economic independence and rampant illiteracy.Therefore, The Helping Hand Sierra Leone decided to address this important issue of women's empowerment in Sierra Leone by raising the status of women in Bombali District through economic empowerment and education.
Bombali District is the most backward district in North of Sierra Leone. In the geographical location selected, there are no women, no private schools, inadequate primary health sub-centers, and little NGOs. Roads, water supply, drainage and communication network are inadequate to augment economic development.
Child labor is rampant in this socially backward area.
Population statistics of our country clearly indicate that quality education is out of the reach of the poor and marginalized irrespective of their innate potential.
Women are often exploited by their communities. They have very little voice and no knowledge or means of improving their social and economic status.
In the villages of the area, the caste system is deeply entrenched. The lower caste colonies are ostracized and basic facilities are denied to them.
Gender biases are very evident in the preferential treatment given to the male child.
Rural folk find it difficult to travel to these cities in search of jobs. The average family income level is below the poverty line.
One of the popular schemes employed by several NGOs, and supported by some international and bilateral agencies, is the so-called "micro-finance" or small loans that usually range up to $100 (Le300,000) per woman to start some form of business.
Most poor women entrepreneurs are said to have been able to make their businesses successful, and repay the loan.
However, our experience in this area with lower caste poor women has been somewhat different.
Poor women, especially from backward communities and lower castes, are mostly illiterate, untrained, and have very little social and economic status.
The unemployed are women, a great majority of them belonging to these deprived sections of the society. Without meaningful skills, social status, and economic power, they are unable to do any business on their own even with financial assistance.
Based on our understanding of the problem faced in our rural community, we have devised a scheme for empowering poor and socially deprived women
Objectives:
Adult employment, especially among women, above 90%.
Ownership of land under cultivation by at least 30% of the “lower caste” population.
Over 90% of all children between the ages 5-16 attend schools and complete at least middle grades. At least 50% must complete high school.
Job/skill training in non-farming areas for most unemployed youth and young adults (ages 16-25) who are not attending schools/colleges.
Timely medical interventions in high-risk cases of pregnancy, and ensure safe delivery and healthy development of young children.
Offer quality primary healthcare and promote health education, especially in the area of reproductive health.
Provide technical assistance and help establish business ventures in products and services that directly benefit the community.
Set up cooperative farming, and assist farmers in marketing their produce at best possible prices.
Offer opportunities for social gathering, creation and display of art and craft, and entertainment for the community.
Milestones:
The combined outcome of the above would be the creation of economic opportunity for all, availability of affordable basic services, care of the environment, and improvements in the assurance of social and gender equality. However, it must be recognized that the specified goals in education and healthcare cannot be adequately met until the income levels of the population increase sufficiently.
Budget:
Not stated
Needs:
Grant to undertake the planing Project.
Contact Name: Osman Conteh
Contact Email Address: helpinghand.os@gmail.com
Contact Phone Number: +232 (33) 547419
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