Convoy of Hope is working to empower women in Ethiopia (and around the world). As they say on their website, “When women are given the opportunity to generate income, it impacts their families and their country’s economic standing. We want to empower women around the world to make strategic, independent life choices through community-based training and non-traditional micro-enterprise development.” This is the type of work I witnessed first hand, and my first experience there has left an indelible mark on my life.
In 2019 alone, more than 9,000 women participated in this program across 10 countries, and more than 19,000 women total have trained through the women’s empowerment program. Their program is three-fold: Economic empowerment, Family health empowerment, and Girls’ empowerment.
Through economic empowerment, women receive vocational training, financial education, co-op savings programs, and startup capital to fund business opportunities. While learning to manage and plan for success, they are also taught how to avoid roadblocks and decisions that can prevent them from achieving those goals.
Family health empowerment is all about health, nutrition, hygiene, literacy, craftsmanship and other daily tasks and routines. Participant’s who attend regularly can receive a month’s food supplement for their family (in addition to the food they provide for themselves). This encourages participation, and also helps them tend to the nutritional needs of their families.
Finally, the Girls’ empowerment program brings education to schools and communities. In a country where young girls leave the education system long before finishing, it is important to provide learning opportunities wherever possible. The education provided by Convoy of Hope focuses on topics like gender-based violence, self esteem, and harmful cultural practices and beliefs.
There is so much that Convoy of Hope does to serve and support the women of Ethiopia, and I am a proud supporter of their mission. To learn more about Convoy of Hope and their immense work to improve the lives of women around the world, click here.
~Nadia Cavner
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