Join Women’s Global on April 27 from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM at RedLine Gallery for our annual Spring Luncheon. Take this opportunity to learn more about our exciting new projects for 2016 and beyond, and connect with other Denver-area individuals who support women’s empowerment. Purchase your ticket(s) below!

Happy International Women’s Day! Our clients and community members in Gulu are celebrating this day through various activities, including:

• Women’s Conference
• Community Dialogues
• Marching and Exhibitions
• Young Girls Mentorship Seminar

The theme for the event this year is “Women’s Economic Empowerment: A Vehicle for Sustainable Development“. Thirty women from our program will participate and make presentations and exhibits. Thank you for your continued support of Women’s Global and the rights and dignity of all women!

While Haiti’s political system and institutions remain in a corruptive limbo, the people of Haiti continue to seek new and productive ways to survive in the informal sector. WGEF believes there is a unique opportunity to work directly in the Cap-Haiten community with community-based organizations.

Our first initiative is a Women’s Bakery Initiative (WBI); we are working with our partner SAO, and local women’s group RAFAVEL.  During my time in the community, we held planning and strategy sessions, met with all stakeholders, conducted site visits, and held a business training session and group organizational meeting.

The training session hosted the 12 participants of the WBI, two leaders from RAFAVEL, SAO and WGEF. The training was lively with a wonderful discussion of ideas and strategies, including basic business concepts: product, promotion, price; customer service, logistics, management, profit and savings.

We also held snap elections to elect leadership of the group: President, Treasurer and Secretary. Several of the participants are not literate, leaving the younger members who have attended school to use their skill sets. 

The commitment and energy level was inspiring reminding me of how important our work is, and how critical, albeit rare, opportunities are for women in Haiti. One of the leaders of RAFAVEL expressed her excitement stating “We won’t disappoint you, but don’t disappoint us.” This quote highlights the frustration many Haitians feel about the nonprofit/NGO world, which have exploited and failed Haiti. They have been promised and disappointed time and time again.

This project is a first for WGEF, as we are investing in the business and community, while providing a partial loan to be repaid, and personal investment by stakeholders, truly making this a ‘partnership in empowerment’.

We hope are inspired and are glad to be on this journey with you. Thank you for your support

Peace,

Karen

An update from Women’s Global clients in Gulu addressing their political engagement and leadership. An inspiring update!

“At the beginning we only had 7 clients their performance inspired more 3 women from our client to join the race to represent their communities at different levels Margaret, Atim and Jovia.

We continue to support encourage and motivate them to continue exploring their leadership abilities, during the post recovery period addressing systemic inequalities is vital and can be well addressed if women are encourage to join elective offices where key decision concerning their lives are made.”

“If we are to change our community to get better education, clean water, quality health services good and address Domestic Violence in our families women need to be supported to join elective political position”  

– Grace Akello Ouma said at her community political Larry as she is competing with 3 men to win back her sit as a woman Representative to Gulu District.

“When we attended the leadership training from WGEF and Vac-Net in 2010 I learnt that Women are naturally leaders right from our families but we often not given the right space to contribute meaningfully, After returning to our Villages where nearly there is no health centers, no clean water, poor roads, and no schools for our children I cannot sit back and wait I have to become a councilor so that my community problems are taken up through me” 

– Margarete  Aliba

Thank you for your support!