Sisterhood. Leadership. Economic Independence.
Preparing Women for Economic Independence
Women’s Education Project (WEP) partners with girl-focused NGOs in India to providing our I Am a Leader Academy for young, underprivileged women to become economically independent leaders.
WEP Academies are lively, safe places where within a spirited community of peers, young women expand their understanding of the world, develop and express their own opinions, find their voice, discover career and entrepreneurial ambitions and ignite their inner spark.
The Problem
WEP is a vital next step for young underprivileged women to circumvent deep rooted social pressures and become economically independent leaders.
Without WEP, they are at risk of:
India has one of the highest prevalence of child marriage in the world. 7% of girls are married before 15, and 27% before the age of 18.
Source: UNICEF, 2017
27% of the trafficked individuals in India are children for either the sex trade or child labor. 61% are girls. In Andhra Pradesh, where WEP works, 11,625 of the almost 20,000 missing children were girls.
Source: The Times of India, Cry, UNICEF
30% to 50% of women in India have reported experiencing some kind of violence in their homes.
50% of women in India between the age of 15 and 49 are anemic.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
73% of women work within their homes or at daily wage, sometimes unsafe, irregular employment.
Of the 73% of women who work within their homes or at daily wage work, most do not have a voice and therefore, do not participate in their homes or communities.
If the 73% of women who remain isolated and voiceless in India were to become economically independent leaders (confident, skilled and financially literate) they would:
Be leaders and role models in their families and communities.
Break the cycle of poverty in their families.
Raise the World GDP by 26%.
Her contributions are significant. Her needs are urgent. The world can’t wait.
Our Vision
In a world of accelerating change, we see women, proud and informed, making important and responsible decisions about their lives, families and communities. We see women, vibrant and determined, choosing careers for which they are confident and well prepared. We see women, courageous and enterprising, preparing the way for others to follow.
Mission
To assist women of limited means liberate their inner spark: to become confident, educated, self-reliant, and responsible citizens, pursuing professional or entrepreneurial paths of their choosing.
Belief
It is WEP’s keystone belief that the decisions an educated woman makes as a self-reliant, informed, responsible citizen, effect lasting social change in her own life, her family, and society.
