Refugee Women’s Microfinance and Livelihood Program

Our work – Project Ladder of Hope
The experience for most Rohingya women living in the refugee camps is harrowing and traumatic. These women lack basic numeracy and literacy skills with no opportunity to learn. Opportunities to earn money are few. They cannot support themselves or their families.
EarthChildren believes that empowering women is essential for the health and social development of the women and their families. There is a famous quote in Bangladesh: Educate a mother and you educate a nation.
The Refugee Women’s Microfinance and Livelihood Program, known internally as Project Ladder of Hope, is designed to provide vulnerable women with the skills to support themselves and their family independent of the refugee camp environment. The program has three subprograms: Tailoring microfinance, English, Numeracy and Business Skill Education, and Counselling.
Microfinance – Tailoring Program
EarthChildren is delivering a professional tailoring microfinance program that will intake 20 women to participate in an 18-month long program. The microfinance program consists of a six-month tailoring course, taught by experienced and professional female tailors, six months of small business/social enterprise development, and a further six months of business support. The microfinance loan includes material goods in the form of a sewing machine, fabrics, needles, thread, bobbins, buttons, zippers, scissors and measurement tape. The microfinance program is modelled on the Grameen Bank microfinance model.
Women participating in Project Ladder of Hope will receive a weekly food allowance by way of rice, vegetables or fruit. Many women in the camp have not eaten apples or oranges for many years due to the price of fruit. EarthChildren will further motivate the women in the program by providing them and their families with foods they may not have experienced for some time, if ever.
Education – Business skills, Literacy & Numeracy
In the first six months of the program, the women will also be taught basic business skills as well as literacy and numeracy by a qualified teacher. The women will attend the workshops two days per week.
Counselling – EarthChildren’s Women’s Sanctuary
Women of Project Ladder of Hope will be offered counselling/group support for a period of 12 months while participating in the tailoring microfinance program and receiving business/social enterprise support. The women will have the opportunity to receive one one hour counselling session per week at our EarthChildren’s Women’s Sanctuary – a small building that has been transformed into a comfortable and safe space for women.
Summary
The objective of this program is to empower refugee women in the camp to break the cycle of poverty. Together, this holistic program will empower and encourage women to live independently and to recognise and validate their collective identity. Through this program refugee women will achieve valuable skills and begin to reach economic independence thus minimizing addressing systemic financial issues. The program will also focus on improving mental health within the women thus contributing to the success of their enterprises and their long-term health in the camp.