A few months ago I took a trip to Rwanda with Women for Women International. W4W helps marginalized women living in countries affected by war and conflict, offering support, tools, and the opportunity to move from crisis and poverty to stability and economic self-sufficiency. I participated in a session with Rwandan women learning about property rights. Through translators, it become clear that the issues the Rwandan women were facing were similar to many of the issues women around the world and in North America experience. In particular, the Rwandan women were surprised to hear that equal pay is still an issue in Canada and the United States.
A large portion of the trip focused on meeting with cooperatives the women join after graduating from the W4W programs. Financial independence is the cornerstone of the program and critical to women having agency, no matter what country they live in. The W4W cooperatives generate income for the women in a variety of ways, from agriculture to basket making to money lending. The women generate income for themselves and their families but the financial independence also has a wider impact on the community. The program requires women to be part of a cooperative because it helps ensure success through support and interconnection.