Photography: Ghana Docks by Walter Allen
WOMEN IN ACTION
The CBC is an incubator of the Women in Action Network (WIAN), an initiative of women working to achieve sustained socio-economic transformations through enterprise development. The CBC provides technical support to develop WIAN members’ capacity in a participatory process that centers community knowledge where the Network members drive the direction of change and engagement in their local communities. WIAN strives to support women create productive and equitable futures through communities with healthy, affirmed, and productive women, which fosters socio-economic conditions where children can thrive.
Musanze, Rwanda
In partnership with Transformational Ministries, WIAN works with historically marginalized groups in Musanze in the Northern Province. Members of this community have historically been at the margins of society and have the lowest rates of social and economic participation. This is a long-term engagement focused on the most vulnerable and disenfranchised members of the society, women, to provide them with the resources necessary to empower and impact the next generation by uplifting their families, and communities.
Nyabihu, Rwanda
In partnership with Reach the Children-Rwanda, the project works with the mothers of students in RCR elementary school. Employment opportunities are scarce in the area and majority are female-headed households, where women did not have a steady source of income and relied on their daily earnings to support their families. The women rise at dawn each day and drop off their children at the Nyahibu Academy before it opens and set out to find work. The project is working to support the women, who sought to form a cooperative and rent a large plot where they can produce crops not only for their own consumption but also surplus for local markets.
Nandom and Wa West, Ghana
Nandom and Wa West in Northern Ghana is home to shea tree and women have been processing shea butter for generations. In light of limited job opportunities in the area, of women in the two communities took up shea butter processing to support their families. But because of their limited resources and lack of access to markets they have only engaged in a barter trade. Forming a cooperative would provide access to resources that would enable them to sell their produce and provide for basic needs such as health, social-economic needs, the education of their children and the well-being of the family. The project is engaged in supporting the women develop their capacity to create, manage, and operate a cooperative devoted to processing high quality, export ready shea butter.
