Migrant women empowerment

With a strong commitment to promoting good change within communities not only in the countries where we established the project but also contemplating its implementation in any region of the world, Fundacja One World One Heart decided to expand and apply for the Migrant Woman Empowerment project. Understanding the particular difficulties migrant women encounter when settling in a new nation, our Foundation looked for ways to support their inclusion, empowerment, and integration through a variety of approaches. The project's emphasis on women's rights, leadership, community development, and mental health struck a chord with our commitment to advancing equality and diversity as well as helping women and their families to adjust to the challenges of a new society. The needs addressed by the project were multifold : Women Inclusion, Equality, and Non-Discrimination; Promoting Gender Equality, Women's Rights, and Education; Integration of Refugees and Migrants; Building Confidence and Adding Value to the Local Community: Understanding the psychological challenges faced by migrant women in a new environment. Aiming to instill confidence in 'new women in town' and empowering them to contribute meaningfully to their local communities.

"Women and girls around the world need to be educated and informed about ways to develop themselves and to embrace their nature being this the first step towards women empowerment. Women who embrace the true nature are confidence and develop a strong self-esteem are crucial for safer and better communities"-Nora Huerta 3 organizations from 3 countries working on Migrant Women Empowerment workshops during 18 months. Project involved 66 migrant women, 9 partners' staff and other NGOs and CityKraków. The Migrant Women Empowerment initiative had a variety of goals, with the main ones being to improve the target community and attend to particular needs. The main objectives were as follows: Migrant Women Empowerment: To provide and equip migrant women with the knowledge needed to expand their own skills and abilities with confidence and the self-assurance they need to successfully navigate their new surroundings as they integrate into society. As well to nurture participants' leadership abilities, initiative, and proactive mindset in order to install a sense of empowerment. To encourage a welcoming, inclusive community that celebrates variety and break the bias and stereotypes. To create www.women-power.eu with tools for empowerment.

Four workshops made up the initiative, each focused on a different facet of empowerment dedicated for migrant women: 1. Women Leadership and Initiative - give the women tools to have the sense of the power to act. Centered on helping migrant women become more capable of taking initiative and being assertive. Focused on showing examples of women leaders around the world , facilitating information and resources plus strategies to develop and improve leadership skills 2. Women’s rights in action: Empowerment and equality - the need to know local rights and how the women operate in the local society. Focused on providing useful and instructive knowledge to uphold women's rights and bring about real change and awareness. 3. Raising up - building better communities - networking and connection building . Intended to foster cooperation and teamwork for the community development. 4. Be yourself - mental women wellbeing : coping with stress and emotions, mental wellbeing. Addressed issues related with mental health and well-being , offered techniques and resources to build resilience and self-worth. 3 project meetings and a networking, promotion meeting in Krakow. Creation of the project www.women-power.eu with all project results.

The project web page www.women-power.eu with materials for 4 Migrant Women Empowering workshops: scripts, presentations, activities and videos for other organisations to make the difference for migrant women. To give them space for integration, education, skills development and to build community, build the feeling of belonging and motivation to act locally for the development of the neighbourhood. The web page hosts also additional activities and promotional materials for the workshops. Implementing and running 6 workshops during the project lifetime showed us the great need for such initiatives and activities. We supported migrant women empowerment on different levels, assess their needs and prepare materials and guidelines for other organisations to follow our example. During the project the collaboration between NGOs, companies and municipalities for migrant women benefit and the benefit of local communities was established and, on our local levels, started new ideas and space for new projects and initiatives. Women participating in project workshops came back to partner organisations with new ideas and some of them are working with partners in Vienna and Krakow, and Riga gained completely new target group and activities.