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Women's Economic Empowerment Through Vocational Skilling.
The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group led by Joseph Kony, caused severe trauma in Northern Uganda by abducting 60,000 to 100,000 women and children. The LRA forced them into combat and sex slavery and massacred over 100,000 people. The aftermath continues to affect women and children fathered by LRA soldiers, including extreme poverty and being ostracized by the community due to their forced relationships with the LRA.
This global grant will support efforts to economically empower these survivors. We will work through cooperating organization WEND Africa (Women's Empowerment Network Design) WEND's founder is herself a survivor. WEND provides tailoring, finance, and personal development training, enabling women to rebuild their lives and support their families. WEND produces high-quality products using local materials, including bags, purses, crafts, and jewelry. Past support from Encinitas Rotary included donating commercial-grade sewing machines. The new equipment allowed WEND to meet the growing demand for Uganda-produced sandals and also demonstrated WEND's capability to become self-sustaining after initial investment.
This Global Grant will fund additional commercial production sewing machines, training sewing machines, and provide vocational training for 30 women annually. This support will enhance WEND's production capacity, prepare participants for employment (either at WEND or other production facilities in the community), or start their own businesses. This project will help survivors achieve economic stability, support their families, and reintegrate into their communities. Proceeds from production will sustain the project. WEND seeks a hand up, not a hand out.
Members of Rotary Club of Gulu City will conduct macro-level vocational and skilling needs assessment, monitor progress through report and site visits, verify that competitive bidding is conducted for major equipment procurements. Monitor trainer selection process. Set up and monitor project bank account, pay approved invoices, organize Rotarians At Work event(s) as needed to unbox and place new equipment, oversee selection of independent third party auditor for project operation and finances, provide introductions for publicity and open doors with public officials, verify that Rotary signage and branding requirements have been met and arrange for at least one site visit for the entire membership of the Rotary Club of Gulu City.
Encinitas Rotary Club members on the project committee will monitor monthly progress reports and adherence to time line, remain in close contact with the Rotary Club of Gulu City project committee, review major invoices to be paid, and monitor bank statements. monitor competitive bidding processes, ask questions from outside the local culture about how things are being done, and, how this adheres to local cultural norms, and ensure that Encinitas Rotary Club members are shown photo documentation of progress at meetings.
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