Did you know that poverty favours women?

Girls and women are still disproportionately likely to live in poverty and suffer discrimination because they were born female. But the world is changing! Here are eight practical and far-reaching ways our local Christian Partners are making a better world for women and girls. 

Destigmatising Menstruation 

In many places around the world, girls and women are left out of public life while menstruating because of stigma, cultural taboos, or lack of resources to manage their period.  

In Uganda, our team were intrigued to see boys and girls working on a sewing project to help combat this very problem—they were making reusable pads for girls and women. They asked one young man why he chose to be part of that particular project. He explained that he has a sister who misses out on school every month while she has her period. He wanted to change things so his sister wouldn’t be worse off because she’s a girl.  
 
As this fine young man so wisely pointed out, it’s not fair for our sisters around the world to miss out on school because they are female. Three out of four girls in Uganda miss school because they are menstruating.  

Practical actions such as this one go a long way towards removing barriers that stop girls from receiving the same education as boys.   

Creating Leadership Opportunities  

Jing is a 15-year old student in Cambodia. Our local Christian Partner noticed Jing’s exceptional aptitude for English, and her passion for learning and teaching. They gave her support and encouragement to step into a leadership position, tutoring children at her local child and youth program. Through this opportunity, Jing is developing leadership skills, and using her gifts show others in her community the power of education. ‘When I started to teach the other children, it built my courage, and reduced my shyness,’ she said. Jing is now working towards becoming a qualified teacher one day. 

Caption: Jing has grown in confidence since becoming a leader.
Making Motherhood Safer 

Rajmati lives in a remote part of Nepal where access to medical help is limited. But when she went into labour, it quickly became apparent that she needed to go to hospital in a much larger centre to safely deliver her baby.  
 
But ambulances are expensive and her family didn’t have the money available to pay for one. Thankfully, our local Christian Partner is aware of this problem, and provides transport for women in obstetric emergencies. They sprang into action and Rajmati was rushed to hospital by ambulance. Her baby was safely delivered by cesarean section and last we heard, they were both doing well. 
 
This is just one of many programs our local Christian Partners run to lower risks for mums and babies in vulnerable communities.

Caption: Rajmati and her little boy are thriving after his scary arrival.
Supporting Emerging Businesswomen 

In Cambodia, Khorn serves her family and community by farming and producing food such as fish, chicken, vegetables and baked products. She lives on a remote island in the Mekong, and relies on her trusty boat to deliver goods, and collect resources for her farming and baking.  
 
Remarkably, Khorn was running her business with very little education behind her—a testament to her tenacity. But it did made it harder to keep accurate books, and make financial decisions to grow her business.  

When our local Christian Partner approached her with an opportunity to develop her financial literacy skills, Khorn eagerly attended every class and applied her learnings to her business. Now her business is more profitable and it’s allowed her save and reinvest in her business. 

I’m thrilled that my family can now afford to purchase a new boat engine to use,’ said Khorn. ‘I’ve been wanting to do this for about 12 years.

Caption: With stronger financial skills, Khorn’s business is more profitable and secure.
Recognising the Strength of The Sisterhood

Many of our programs include Self Help Groups—collectives of women within the community who come together for a variety of purposes.  

Caption: One of our local Christian Partner’s Self Help Groups where women support each other.

These groups operate as a:

  • Learning cohort with various experts in farming or other skillsets present to members
  • Savings and loans group, helping members fund improvements in their lives and build up resources for the future
  • Community development action team, working on larger projects like establishing a clean water sources
  • Safe space to share problems that members face in life and relationships—especially important in contexts where domestic violence is prevalent

The groups are facilitated by our local Christian Partners, but the women make them an amazing source of strength to be leveraged towards locally-led solutions to poverty. Our local Partners tell us these groups have contributed in a reduction in gender-based violence as the women feel able to share what’s happening at home, knowing their friends will listen and help. 

Equipping Girls to Resist Child Marriage  

Do you know the 54 United Nations Rights of the Child? Ask any child in our programs, and they can tell you that among those rights is the right to refuse marriage.  
 
Sunita pictured here used her knowledge of these rights to fight her father’s decision to force her 16-year-old sister into a child marriage. While child marriage is illegal where Sunita lives in Nepal, it’s still common practice in many communities. She and her friends petitioned her parents for months to stop the marriage so that her sister could continue her education, and avoid the risks early marriage exposes girls to. They were successful, and Sunita’s sister finished school, took on further training and has become a successful seamstress. 

Caption: Sunita (on the left) with some of her friends. They’re all passionate about ending child marriage.

Challenging Negative Attitudes to Girls’ Education  

We’ve known for a long time that education is critical for young people to access a future free from poverty. In some places, girls are kept away from school for economic, religious or cultural reasons, increasing inequity and diminishing the community’s resources.

For this reason, our Partners in Nepal are working hard to change the way communities regard education for girls. This is revolutionary for young women like Bina, who is the first Muslim girl in her town to complete Year 10 and become eligible for university.  

Caption: Bina and her family are proud to be changing the perception that girls don’t need school.

Bina’s mother learned about the power of education in her self help group and sought to enrol her in the local public high school. But her husband objected. Bina’s mother persisted, and with support from our local Christian Partner, eventually her father agreed to enrol Bina. 

Now, Bina’s father is proud of his daughter and all she has achieved. And her success is contagious—eight more Muslims girls have now joined the local public school, with more to come as the community embraces girls’ education. 

Equipping Women To Be Bread Winners

For a variety of reasons, many girls in vulnerable communities grow into adulthood without ever having the opportunity to gain an education or the skills to earn a stable income. Fadia from Lebanon found herself in this situation, and when her husband lost his job, the family struggled. 
 
With support from our local Christian Partner, Fadia trained to become a seamstress. Now, she’s working in their sewing collective and earning a fair wage.

Caption: Fadia is earning a fair wage as a seamstress.

‘Not only do my new skills earn me a vital income for my family, but working as a seamstress has also given me a sense of purpose and control’, she said.

These are just a few of the ways our local Christian Partners are working towards a world where women and girls are given every opportunity to thrive. Women and girls are an incredible asset to their communities, when we address the challenges that hold them back, we’re empowering whole communities while fighting the injustice of gender-based discrimination.