Support for the production of quality craft work by women as a form of empowerment and development of the most vulnerable sectors

 

With the co-financial support of European Commission, and FAI-Fondation Assistance Internationale, in line with the Plano Estratégico de Desenvolvimento Turístico em Cabo Verde, with the priority given by the ICIEG to the development of handicraft for the economic empowerment of women, and MDG 3 "Promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women", the project is aimed at promoting the recovery of traditional knowledge and the establishment of business incubators for women's artistic craft businesses, in collaboration with the Cape Verde Women's Organisation and with the help of the vocational training promoted by the IEFP (Instituto para the Emprego e Formaçao Profissional the of the Ministry of Employment and solidarity). It is geared in particular towards production, quality control and marketing in tourist areas, thanks to the collaboration of the National Directorate of Tourism, and towards the empowerment, autonomy, sustainable economic growth, and integration of female artisans in the local markets, particularly those from the Islands of Santiago, Fogo, Santo Antão, which have a greater craft tradition, through the help of a consortium for marketing throughout the entire country.

PCN has been operating in Cape Verde for over 7 years.

 

PCN has been operating in Cape Verde for over 7 years and, in association with OMCV, the Women's Organization of Cape Verde, it has established the following projects, with co-financial support from the Region of Piedmont and some municipalities and banking foundations in Piedmont: "Credit and improvement of the water supply in the districts of Kelem and Fonton in Praia", "Programme to support young entrepreneurs through vocational training and employment assistance in the city of Praia" and "Pilot scheme for the incubation of women-owned businesses in Cape Verde". These have promoted the training of young women in various sectors, created a incubator for incipient businesses on the outskirts of the capital Praia and promoted, in agreement with the OMCV microcredit sector, a special fund for the support of micro-enterprises in three outlying districts (Tira Chapeu, Kelem and Fonton). Then, with financial contribution from a municipality in Piedmont and the eight-per-thousand from the Waldensian Church (Union of Methodist and Waldensian churches) it created the project "Support for bread making co-operatives in two communities and the development of local micro-economies", which promoted the training of 15 women from two semi-rural communities (Tench and Moya Moya) and the development of two bakery cooperatives, now operating in the local market, where they supply the local community with lower-cost bread as well as selling it externally. With the co-financial support of the European Commission, it has also implemented a project entitled "Increasing OMCV's competencies to counter Gender-Based Violence", Europe Aid/128-437/L/ACT/CV, and also in association with the Commission, since March 2014 it has been implementing a project named "Restoration of the quality handicrafts production of the women of Cape Verde", Europe Aid/134-417/L/ACT/CV, in order to revive the traditional quality craft work of the women of Cape Verde. This provides government accredited vocational training modules which are then implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment – Institute for vocational training and employment, with the trained women then assisted through a business incubation and support strategy for the marketing of products in tourist areas, in association with the Directorate General of Employment of the Ministry of the Economy and the Cape Verde Institute for Equality and Gender Equity. Under the UE and UN Joint Migration and Development Initiative (JMDI) it has implemented the project "Remittances and emigrants as a resource for development", which has allowed the preparation of specific financial products to intercept part of the remittances received by Cape Verdean women that are not spent immediately, encouraging their use for investment purposes rather than merely for consumption, accumulating value for the savers and making it available to women who want to invest. With the assistance of the Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, it has financed 23 vocational training scholarships for young women at the IEFP, in various sectors, in the cities of Praia and São Domingos, and supported three-year higher education courses for four OMCV technicians, in order to improve their skills and the effectiveness the association's work.

 

During 2014, PCN chose to participate in a specific campaign and project in Cape Verde aimed at countering femicide, in support of both OMCV and the Association of Women Jurists.

Donations

C/c Bancario IT 13 B 0843946050000050101336

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