In places affected by conflict, violence, poverty and marginalization, the challenges traditionally faced by women are almost systematically heightened. This creates an empowerment gap that is detrimental both to women and their communities that cannot tap their immense potential for positive change. In response, we have designed a specific program to provide vulnerable and underprivileged women training courses in Business and Entrepreneurship. In and of itself, this training program has proven instrumental for helping them transform perspectives on their economic and personal prospects, improving their self-confidence and capacity to undertake life-changing projects. Such projects will typically include looking for a job, initiating a career change, or developing a business of their own.After the training period, indeed, all trainees have the opportunity to apply in a Business Plan competition the winners of which gain access to WPDI financial and technical support that would help them kick start individual or cooperative business projects. Irrespective of the path they take after their time with us, participants in this program as well as community members have repeatedly told us how effective it is to trust women with knowledge and skills that they can use to make a real difference in their lives.
