How they operate

The RWDA is responsible for the delivery and implementation of the projects conceived and elaborated at the level of the recipients.

The RWDA believes that, for projects to be successful and sustainable, they have to be part of a broader objective that tackles cultural, social, political and economic injustices. Life is very hard for African women, especially in rural communities. The first impulse is to provide financial help, even train them in basic economic activities and in running income-generating projects. However that path can actually burden the women even more, shores still have to be done, the children still need looking after and more importantly, the fruit of these new activities more often than not hands up in the pocket of the male head of household, when it is not even just a close relative.

The RWDA believes that what is needed first is for women to be offered help in understanding why, in their societies, within their families, they rank at the bottom of the social ladder, sometimes even after the cattle. They will rightly advance reasons of culture, but there are parts of culture that need to be re-assessed and redressed by the women themselves if they are to take charge of their destiny. And it need not be in full opposition to men. So women need to be taught how to question their position, social as well as economic first and foremost. The RWDA is attempting to do just that using awareness-raising seminars and workshops.

The RWDA also believes that financial independence should be part of any development programmes aimed at helping women overcome poverty. To that end, the RWDA provides training and microloans for income-generating activities aimed at groups. The RWDA favours groups as they believe that the pooling of resources, time and knowledge is a way of ensuring success on a scale larger than simply guaranteeing a subsistence living.

The core of their work revolves around providing:

·          Information on issues women feel ignorant about such as their rights in law and on how to claim them.

·          Education in areas women feel they need to progress in, such as hygiene and family planning, so that they are better able to look after themselves and their family.

·          Education in self-awarenesss so that women can begin to feel part of the community of women worldwide.

·          Education in new skills so that women can be more economically productive.

·          Financial help with micro loans to get new business ideas off the ground or simply to give a boost to present economic activities.

·          Financial help with getting children to pursue their education to the limit of their abilities and not the parents' financial ones.

·          The means to facilitate the education of girls, especially at secondary and tertiary levels, so that the next generations of women may start, hitting the ground and feel secure in the knowledge that they have the skills, not only to provide for themselves and help their family, but also to claim and enjoy their equality.