report on poverty reduction and capacity building among rural women

To provide guidance and support to rural individuals, families and communities to improve their quality of life.

 “It does this by encouraging people’s participation in community based initiatives, which will build self-reliance particularly among small farmers, low-income workers, women and youth.”

Development of and support for economic project activity so as to improve livelihood particularly for women.

Facilitating skills training and the acquisition of life skills for personal development to alleviate poverty.

Advocacy on policy issues that are impacting on the situation of marginalize persons/groups.

To enhance livelihood skills of seventy-five 75 rural women in three (3) parishes.

Single Parent s from low income Households; Young mothers with dependents and zero

income (teenage mothers who dropped out of school due to early pregnancy );

Education level – senior primary school leavers & secondary school dropouts and /or secondary school Graduates ;

Number of Children/Dependents of school age (3 plus);

Skilled or unskilled – technical, social skills possessed;

Current employment status (unemployed, underemployed);

Interest in training as well as income generating opportunities;

Women struggling to manage a cottage industry or small business;

Women who may have experienced one or other forms of abuse or domestic Violence.

Women from the parishes of St. John, St. Mark and St. Patrick were the target.

Women were mobilized through handouts, posters, electronic media and public announcements.

Application forms were distributed to interested women • over one hundred and twenty seven (127) applied.

Selection team comprising agency’s staff selected eight-five (85) women • based on information provided in the application ,

advice and recommendations by community leaders.

Successful applicants were informed by telephone/ letters.

Pre-training orientations held in two locations:

1. St. Mark/ St.John at the Anglican Pastoral Center2. St. Patrick at the Leapers Hill Café

Packages with time tables, training materials & ground rules distributed.

Information & Communications Technology

Personal Development/Life Skills

Five Practical skilled area:› Sewing;

› Agro Processing;

› Plant Propagation;

› Dried Fish Processing;

› Animal Production.

Business Development training

Course content base on standards set by the National Training Agency (NTA)› NTA provided:

Training Manuals Assessment to be done.

Eighty (80) women participated in Information & Communication Technology. Sixty eight (68) in Personal Development sessions held in five (5) Centres.

A total of ninety (90) hrs were covered in these two activities.

(In this components twelve (12) women who attended at Clozier ICT Centre did not have Personal Development at the time).

Consisted of 108 hours and was conducted in two venues- Sauteurs and Palmiste (NEWLO). Twenty- three (23) women participated.

Twenty-four(24) women participated in sixty (60) hours of training conducted at the Produce

Chemistry Laboratory in Tanteen.

Fifty- nine (59) hours of training, conducted at the Innovative Agricultural Seedling Centre in Happy Hill and the Mirabeau Propagation station; three

(3) women participated

Nine (9) women participated in thirty-eight (38) hours of theory and practical sessions conducted at the Anglican Pastoral Center and the Waltham

Fish Plant

Fish Dryer

Packaged Dried Fish

Twenty (20) hours of training, sixteen (16) women participated conducted at two (2) venues -

St.John and St. Patrick. Their training included field visits to the Oasis Chicken farm and Ms.

Margaret Nurse and Belmont Estate Goat farms.

The Business Development component was conducted over a two week period by the GIDC

Business Development Center.

A total of eighty (80) women divided into four (4) groups did eight (8) hours of training per group.

127 women Applied for the programme

Eight-five (85) were selected

Eighty (80) women started ICT

Of the eighty (80) who started 68 or 85% are graduating today having

successfully completed the course offered by the programme.

Twelve (12) women discontinue in the programme

Five (5) women found full time or part-time employment

Seven (7)had health and/or domestic issues

The programme afforded eleven (11) other women opportunities for training; they are also graduating today;

• Five (5) in Dried Fish• Three (3) in Sewing• Two (2) in Animal Production• One (1) in Agro Processing

Also seven (7) men received training in Animal Production and Business Development under the programme.

This programme met and surpassed the targeted number of seventy five (75) women. Indeed seventy nine (79) are graduating today.

In addition, six (6) of the seventy nine (79) graduating have found or have secured prospects of employment.

Project impact include apart from tangible skills:

• Attitudinal changes /improvement• Desire for additional skills• Enhance Cultural and spiritual awareness• Enhance awareness of self/ community

A trust relationship that developed between: - trainees and resource personnel (tutors) - trainees and GRENCODA’s Staff.

Implementation of such programme requires a level of flexibility, clarity of purpose, commitment and determination on the part of both trainees and implementing agency.

The women overcame many obstacles along the way ………..

- Juggling their maternal roles with their desire for learning.

- High punctuality and regularity despite many adverse and personal challenges.

The implementing agency gave much more than required in the execution plan. Poverty Reduction and Capacity Building of Rural Women must be cognicent of the domestic and social issues they face.

A series of enabling support must accompany whatever activities that are outlined in the execution plan.

Sincere appreciation is extended to the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Government of Grenada for the financial and technical support which made the programme possible.

We recognize in a special way the assistance provided by:

• Roselyn La Grenade • Roxanne Neckles• GRENCODA’s programme/administrative team• Stick-to-itiveness of women graduating today

GRENCODA is energized by the opportunity to empower women to enhance their livelihood

57

Thank You!!