What is Economic Empowerment?
EMPOWERMENT HAS BECOME A TERM THAT WE HEAR EVERYDAY, BUT WHAT EXACTLY DOES ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT MEAN?
Economic empowerment involves providing people, usually disadvantaged women, with the education, training and skills that they need to find a job, earn an income and become self-supporting. Economic independence can change a woman’s life, as they are no longer dependent on someone else, usually a male, to provide their food, a roof over their head or clothing. This empowerment allows the women more agency over their lives and increases their happiness, productiveness and life satisfaction.
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”
Simply handing out financial aid to marginalised women will not help them out of their situation and can create a dependence on aid. Equipping women with the skills and resources they need to develop their own business results in income generation and a greater standard of living for the women involved.
The Women’s Protection Centre in Nepal helps to educate women on how to establish their own start-up, equipping them with the skills and resources needed to begin their own clothing or tailoring business. After 6 months of training at the Centre, the women are given a sewing machine to take home with them, enabling them to start their own business with their newly developed skills. Nepalese clothing is beautifully intricate and decorative, making it a great business option for many Nepalese women and allowing them to support themselves and their families through creation of an ongoing income stream.
Women at the Seven Women Centre learning new skills in the trade of hairdressing
Not only does economic empowerment benefit the women directly, the wider community benefits through job creation, economic stimulation and diversified industries. Research by K Sathiabama has found that women tend to create businesses in different industries to men, increasing the economy of India and leading to greater job creation.
Economic empowerment is at the heart of what we do here at Seven Women. From educating marginalised women in basic literacy and numeracy to providing skills training in hospitality, management and tour guiding, we are proud to play a role in the economic independence of these women. By allowing women to enter the workforce and establish their own businesses, economies will grow due to diversified industries and increased spending power. Economic empowerment is about so much more than simply having a job, it is about establishing independence, creating a sense of purpose and a feeling of belonging within the community.
We encourage visitors at the Seven Women Centre to share their skills with the women in order to diversify their skill-sets and open up other avenues of employment. If you are keen to share your skills or learn a new one such as traditional Nepali language, cooking or craft classes, check out the link below.