Community empowerment is a multifaceted process that starts with mobilizing community members whose potential as change-makers has yet to be fully realized. For this reason, we dedicate time and resources to supporting women, both young and old, in our partner communities in building the knowledge and skills necessary to lead their communities towards a more sustainable and prosperous future. This not only consists of the construction of vital infrastructure, like potable water systems, that free up time for women to dedicate to other tasks once the need to carry water from distant water sources to their homes is eliminated, but also involves training sessions where topics such as women and children’s rights, leadership, interpersonal communication, self-care, and more are discussed to build women’s “tool kits” so that community-wide change comes from within.
Another aspect of empowerment that our programs strive for includes greater access to prenatal care and information during pregnancy. Our nurses visit dozens of houses each day to support mothers in learning about the health-related topics that they care most about, contributing to laying a solid foundation for coming generations to stand on as they build resilient and thriving communities. In these ways, and many more, our integrated programs mobilize communities to tackle complex challenges and flourish.
