ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
We believe that when a woman is able to earn a living and feed her family, her worth within the family increases significantly, in a very personal form of economic development. Certainly her self-worth grows as she is able to work, but her sense of value within her family and society grows as well. It is then that she truly becomes an equal decision maker.
The women who work with SHARE draw on the knowledge, experience, and support of the other artisans and the staff members to establish their place in the cooperative and in their communities. The women are involved in the artistic process, in running the business, or in negotiating such challenges as government bureaucracy or health care. The artisans often direct their new-found influence and resources toward their children and their schooling, aware that a better life for their children depends on a good education. |