Our women of 2013
As a small organisation, our work would not possible without the generous support of people like you. Thanks to your support in 2013, you have helped to transform the lives of women around the world.
We met Ranjeeta from India and Christine from Malawi this year, and here is what they shared with us.
Ranjeeta is 19 years old and from a remote village in northern India. She had to leave school when she was 13, but with your support this year, she has received training in life skills and a vocational trade.
She has now opened a small tailoring stall in her village and to earn extra income she is also charging 100INR (99p) a month to teach embroidery to others girls in her village so they can learn new skills too.
"Before, we had no guidance. I was ambitious but had no support and no way out. The project has given me a way out, it has helped my ambitions and I am very happy. I learnt a skill and now I want other people to learn. I am saving my income so I can expand my work, open another shop and more units where I can train other girls. I now aspire to do things."
It cost just £31 to provide Ranjeeta with a two week vocational training course, which has helped to transform her future.
Christine is from a remote village in Malawi, where she struggled to grow enough food all year round to stay healthy. With your support this year, we provided her and her community with training in low-cost agricultural techniques, nutrition and food preparation.
Now, she has joined forces with 17 other farmers. Together they discuss how to diversify their crops, grow nutritious food, and provide nutritional advice to people living with HIV and AIDS in their community.
"In the past, we just ate maize and beans. The training on nutrition has taught us the advantages of growing a range of crops and having a balanced diet, which is particularly important as we are sick. We also bake cakes and bread as a group, which we sell. Some of the profits go to supporting the group; some go to the individual members."
It cost just £10 to provide Christine with a training day in how to conserve water so she can grow more vegetables to eat.
With your continued generosity and support in the coming year, together we can help more women like Ranjeeta and Christine to build a future free from hunger and poverty.
