“There is no great force for change, for peace, for justice and democracy, for inclusive economic growth than a world of empowered women.” Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka
Economic Empowerment
Transformed For Life believes that economic empowerment of vulnerable people is critical for them to realise their full-potential and to find freedom in their lives!
Over the years Transformed for Life has given a variety of different trainings in business, finance, animal rearing and agriclture. We have then paired these trainings with, "empowerment gifts" in the form of seeds, animals, sewing kits, sewing machines and other items. It has been exciting to see how faithful these women and youth are to carefully care for their project!
Some recent projects have included:
Vocational Skills: We have put women and youth through a variety of vocational programs including: building, welding, hairdressing, cooking and catering and then graduation packages to help them launch out in their field once they graduate.
Rabbit projects: 400 women went through a 5 week course on raising rabbits and learned how to construct stury rabbit hutches using methods using local building techniques. They were then given 6 weeks to construct the rabbit hutch. We built two sample hutches for the women to see and for the next month we had a flood of their husbands come to see it and speak with our farm manager on how to build it. Families were excited to come pick up their three bunnies when the day finally arrived. Families have taken good care of their rabbits and they are doing well!
Pig projects: We have found pig projects to be exceptionally successful in our area. We have started these projects with many families, some from our women’s programs, and other projects with the families of resettled street children.
Cow projects: Restrictive because of their start-up cost, we have conducted two cow projects, primarily for milk for former street youth and these two projects are still doing well!
Sewing Kits: All women in the women’s empowerment program were taught how to mend clothing and given a small sewing kit.