Families and communities cannot thrive without the help of strong, empowered women. The risks and needs of Buduburam’s women are, in some ways, very different from those of the camp’s men. Women are at risk for sexual assault, unintended pregnancy, and relationship violence. When a woman is pregnant, the health of her unborn child is inextricably dependent upon her own health. Once a woman does have a family, she is faced with the problem of both looking after the children and also struggling to support the family itself. Children left alone are vulnerable to child predators, but the families of Buduburam are not able to adequately support themselves through the work-efforts of both parents, let alone one parent working solo.

In considering the unique needs of Buduburam’s mothers, daughters, and sisters, Point Hope has developed a women’s empowerment program to help them live healthy, productive lives. The children are always are first and foremost consideration, and since the time necessary for participation in such a program would require time spent apart from the children, we provide day-care services for the children of all women’s empowerment participants. The program itself has two components, one devoted to vocational training, and another devoted to family education and counseling. In the vocational training component, women are taught skills such as sewing, soap-making, and jewelry-making, which they can use to provide necessities for their families and produce a line of income. The family education component provides women with information and knowledge to help them avoid sexual exploitation, respond effectively to toxic or abusive relationships, and make decisions in the interests of their families’ and their own well-being.

For $60 you can subsidize a woman’s participation in our empowerment program. Please join us in our effort to bring hope to the women of Buduburam. Click on one of the images to the right, and send us your gift today!