We work to equip communities to meet their essential needs and to empower them to improve their working conditions and influence policy. This programme has a particular focus on empowering women. Often women support their families through formal or informal labour, however they face many barriers to accessing employment and educational opportunities and have less power to influence decisions in their households than men.
Lesotho: Community Savings and Loans Scheme
Lesotho has the third highest HIV prevalence in the world. This epidemic has left many grandmothers caring for growing numbers of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).
In partnership with Help Lesotho, we are working to train communities to set up Savings and Loan Schemes to enable grandmothers to access finance and to save for future expenditure.
Lesotho: Responsible and Accountable Garment Sector
Working conditions in Lesotho’s garment factories are notoriously poor. Women are particularly affected, with low wages and little access to workers’ rights.
In partnership with five Trade Unions we are working to improve conditions and protects workers’ rights, focussing on gender sensitive issues such as paid maternity leave.