Women's Empowerment Initiative
A collective voice for wildlife and environmental conservation
VIDEO
Our projects empower women in impoverished communities by providing trade skills that allow them to support their families and keep their children in school and provide healthcare.
More importantly, it allows for the family to become financially independent and eliminate the need for poaching and the bushmeat trade.
Some of our Women’s Projects
Sewing Center
Our sewing centers in Uganda and Rwanda provide full certification training so that each graduate student may apply for a micro loan to start their own sewing business and becoming economically independent.
Microloans
Providing interest free loans to women with the intent of letting them start a business so they may become financially independent and provide for their families, keeping children in school and providing for health care.
Sanitary Pads
SAFE recognizes that young girls in impoverished communities will stop attending school when they become of age. Overcoming menstrual challenges will allow them to continue their education and help change the world.
LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE
The facts are startling: In some of the more impoverished communities in Uganda, as much as 25% of girls will miss more than 1/4 of classes and many drop out completely, due to the unaffordability or unavailability of menstrual pads in their area.
It is often the case that these young girls will often be married off as early as 15 or 16 years of age. and they will receive no further education. This tends to keep going from generation to generation.
Our pilot program financed enough washable reusable pads for 350 girls, with each girl receiving a kit of 5 washable pads, a storage bag, underwear and biodegradable soaps. The pads are of pure cotton and have the ability to add lining for better absorption, and better protection.
By allowing these young girls to stay in school, it reduces the chances of them having to marry early and often, they will be more at risks of communicable disease, including AIDS.
We will be reviewing this pilot project, as we discover its effectiveness and make adjustments to the product. Better yet, these pads are created by our sewing center in Rwanda and provides jobs and finances to the trainees and graduates of our training center.
