In March, I had the pleasure of working for the Rwanda Women's Network on a corporate consulting project thanks to the Dow Chemical Company. 9 of us were sent from 4 companies to help 3 local organizations with their strategy. The Rwanda Women's Network has been helping women across the country for over 20 years. Our favorite program that they participate in is called "Women's Safe Spaces". They go out to a village and find 20 influential women and train them for basic social work and support. These 20 women run a safe space and it's a place that women can go to file rape complaints, assault complaints and a host of other things. They also give counseling and advice on how to handle difficult in home situations. In addition, these safe spaces hold dialogue sessions that will get anywhere from 20-100 men and women from the villages to participate where they talk about various subjects surrounding women's empowerment. The other incredible side outcome of these programs is the 20 women volunteers for each site have started their own businesses together and cooperatives and have turned their own lives around by helping other women. RWN has 19 of these facilities around the country but it is not enough. Over 49% of the women 18-55 in Rwanda have been victims of physical or sexual assault and the fastest way to change that culture is to do it at the village level. RWN needs more money to open additional Safe Spaces and to keep their current ones going. Rent for one of these buildings is $150/month and they provide the volunteers a small travel stipend so its really VERY cheap to help keep these going. We are going to use a non-profit intermediary called Global Compassion based out of Midland, Mi so your donation can be tax-deductible. Thank you for your generosity in helping out the women of Rwanda
