Impact Sierra Leone (ISL) recently held its inaugural Women Empowerment Workshop and Lunch in honor of Women’s History Month. This event took place on March 30th and aimed to uplift forty women farmers from a rural community that partners with ISL’s Seeds of Life initiative. It was a celebration of empowerment and support for the Women’s Farm Collaborative, launched by ISL in March 2022.
The event provided these women with a rare opportunity to experience a festive occasion, often lacking in their daily lives due to extreme poverty. The workshop aligned with the United Nations International Women’s Day theme, “Inspire Inclusion,” and aimed to improve the morale of the women farmers through skills training and valuable community engagement.
The workshop was thoughtfully planned with input from the community, including traditional food prepared by the women farmers and refreshments provided by the ISL team. Key female community members, such as the nurse staff from the Foindu Clinic, were also celebrated and honored.
Highlights of the workshop included:
- A traditional meal and refreshments.
- Musical entertainment with arts and crafts projects.
- A cultural dance performance and remarks from women leaders.
- A floral cake and floral skills demonstration.
- Corn seedlings giveaway (two cups each) to assist with their future crops.
- Recognition of women farmers and hygiene gift giveaways.
- Clothes and shoes distribution.
ISL presented the Women’s Farm Collaborative banner during the event, symbolizing the unity and collective efforts of the community. Each woman received a gift bag with a reusable cup, candies, journal, pen, nail supplies, and more, all assembled by ISL volunteers. Additionally, each woman received two cups of corn seedlings to plant in May, which, once harvested, could help sustain their families.
Special posters were created to reflect the theme of “Inspire Inclusion” and celebrate the women’s achievements as future entrepreneurs and change agents. The women were delighted to see these displays and were photographed with their artwork and finished paintings, adding to the event’s memorable moments.
The celebration also included a cake made by one of the ISL volunteers, featuring the message “ISL celebrates the Foindu women farmers.” The women joined the CEO in cutting the cake, creating a moment of unity and appreciation.
The event concluded with a visit to the future site of the Foindu Impact Vocational Skills Center for women, set to begin construction in 2024. ISL was proud to bring hope and kindness to the women farmers and to contribute towards several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, such as Good Health and Well-Being, Zero Hunger, No Poverty, and Gender Equality.
The successful workshop was a collective effort of supporters who continue to make a significant impact on the lives of many. Together, ISL is making a difference, and those interested in learning more or supporting their projects can visit the ISL website.
For further details or to support ISL projects, please visit www.impactsierraleone.org and Global Giving.
