The Women to Women grant is a program of the Episcopal Church Women which helps by granting seed money to charitable or income-producing projects which improve lives and strengthen communities. This Triennial’s grant is awarded to Women Development & Services (WDS), Diocese of Raiwind-Church of Pakistan.

Women’s economic participation helps to drive growth at a national level and reduce poverty. Societies that make better use of the skills, talents and time of all members will more likely prosper. Women are often more likely than men to use income to support development outcomes within their families. Increasing women’s earnings can strengthen their hand in decision making in their households. Careful analysis and interventions are needed so women’s economic participation is empowering and does not degrade inequalities.

Women Development Services (WDS) of Raiwind Diocese started its mission in 1989, under the kind control of diocesan Bishop and executive board. The aim was to build a just community, which would be free from all sorts of discrimination and   exploitation. The hard work and continuous struggle helped a lot to establish the Women’s Department. The results of these efforts encouraged us to step forward towards targeted oppressed communities with the message of justice & equality along with the activities for development changes. WDS is the place where women learn how to live with dignity in the most violent society. They also make effort to recognize their own identity as women and the concept of self-esteem. Capacity must be enhanced through legal and social awareness. We are struggling to fight against violence which is destroying women and girls’ lives.

Need Assessment

Pakistani women are being culturally treated as second-class citizens, especially when it comes to female education percent, which is very low when compared to the literacy rate for men, which is 69 percent. Gender inequality is a global problem but in Pakistan, it is at the root of many issues.

Inequality in opportunity and in working Pakistan’s barriers against women’s economic empowerment generally include lack of gender-sensitive policies, income inequality, attitudes/harassment at workplaces, and stereotypes defining women’s role in society.

Importance

It improves women’s knowledge, practices and skills and enhances their probabilities of becoming successful, independent, empowered and active members of a society. To facilitate women with expertise and skills is not only essential to access to supply-side factors of work but also for the social factors.

It is an established fact that technical education and vocational training can help individuals to generate income and contribute towards economic growth and social development of a country. Trained Labor Force is considered an important factor for the development.

In the light of this, technical and vocational education is the preparation of individuals to acquire practical skills as well as basic scientific knowledge; it provides skilled manpower, for the world of work, that is increasing the work force in the country,

Even though this contribution accounts for 65 per cent of the PKR 400 billion (USD 2.8 billion) in the informal economy of Pakistan, women earn just PKR 3,000-4,000 (USD 15-20) per month and as a result face multidimensional vulnerabilities including low-income security, poor nutrition, and occupational health issues.

Benefits

There are many benefits of developing vocational skills in young girls. Not only will they learn valuable life skills, but they will also build confidence and self-esteem. Vocational skills also teach responsibility, discipline, self-reliance, and perseverance. Support women workers to improve wages, working conditions, safety, and remove discrimination.

Business skills remove barriers faced by women entrepreneurs, including the market supply-side gap preventing women from accessing finance.

This training is designed for illiterate and dropped out girls/women, who are interested to learn skill and earn money.

Provided Services

Women will learn traditional skills of stitching, crochet, knitting, Fabric Paint, jewelry making and sewing.

They will avail the opportunity to survey the market and make links for their product sale locally. WDS already linked with market. At initial stage for 3 months WDS will help them to sell their products.

During the training they will be trained how to apply to  banks for business loan.

Objectives

  • Enable young females to continue vocational training on permanent basis.
  • Offer awareness sessions to increase knowledge and decision making capacity.
  • Promote discussion on local social, legal and religious issues
  • Discuss personal and family issues when there is a trusting relationship with community.
  • Train illiterate and unskilled females to earn and live honorably

How will the objectives be achieved?

  • 95% Trained skilled women will be employed or will start their own small-scale business.
  • 90% Women groups will be focused to be aware about their legal and social rights and to be the part of decision-making authority.
  • 80% Capacity building will be enhanced amongst the women folk.
  • 75% Women groups will be focused for personal counselling. They will be enabled to fight for their rights.
  • 80% Vocational trained will be more confident and independent after finding work or starting their own business.

How will the program/business be evaluated?

  • Poverty rate will be reduced.
  • Change has been observed in attitude and behaviour.
  • Women will be able to support their children  for education and training.
  • It will be recorded the number of passed out trainees.
  • Community participation will be increased and regular in all such activities.
  • Women and girls groups will be formed in remote areas and will continue this program.
  • They will be strong to fight against evils of the society

WDS has already taken an initiative in prevention of HIV/AIDS among Female Sex Workers (FSW) in local community in July 2001. Primarily WDS is working with street prostitutes. We have contacted a good number of FSWs who are either compelled to join this profession or have some other reason for prostitution. Our experience with them has shown that the majority of the FSWs are in prostitution due to a high level of poverty. We also established a Rehabilitation center for community welfare in October 2005. There we are running a daily clinic.  They also provide skill-training opportunities in vocational work and midwifery.

They have initiated the program to save those who are victims of the sex industry and want to rehabilitate themselves so that they and their families may live a better life. 

Grant Request Approved

Dear Alice Garrick

Executive Director

Women Development Service

Diocese of Raiwind-Church of Pakistan

Thank you for your recent request for a National ECW Board’s Women to Women Grant for $10,500.00 to help fund your Women to Women Project.

We are honored to fund this Grant because it will be helping community women who are in vulnerable situations.

Please make sure that you file a written final report to the NECW on how the funds were used and how the purpose/objective was achieved and evaluated.

Again, congratulations and we look forward to hearing from you.

God bless,

Annie Kate Jacobs, Chairperson

NECW Social Justice