EcoFemSkills: Rural Women Pioneering Sustainability

The main objective was to empower women—especially in rural and vulnerable contexts in Tenerife and Patras—through green skills, ecological literacy, and hands-on environmental education. We aimed...

The main objective was to empower women—especially in rural and vulnerable contexts in Tenerife and Patras—through green skills, ecological literacy, and hands-on environmental education. We aimed to improve their access to training and employment in the green economy, particularly in areas such as recycling, sustainability, and eco-entrepreneurship. We also sought to promote gender equality in technical and manual sectors, build inclusive community spaces, and foster intercultural and intergenerational exchange. At a European level, the project aimed to develop a transferable, inclusive model of adult education that addresses environmental and social challenges together. Through cooperation, we wanted to strengthen the capacity of small organizations to work transnationally, co-create tools, and engage local communities—especially women—in the ecological transition while promoting solidarity, participation, creativity, and long-term collaboration among partners.

We implemented a mix of local and transnational activities focused on environmental education, community building, and women's empowerment. Each partner organized local training sessions and creative workshops on green skills such as plastic upcycling, permaculture, composting, and sustainable living. We held intercultural events to promote exchange between migrant and local women, including storytelling circles, visits to eco-projects, and practical labs. Transnationally, we organized two learning activities: one in Tenerife focused on participatory methodologies and circular economy; and one in Patras focused on creative upcycling and collaborative learning. We also created learning units to support the transferability of the content and methodologies developed. Throughout the project, we held regular online meetings for coordination and content development. All activities fostered inclusion, environmental awareness, and practical learning. A final public event and shared outputs helped communicate and multiply the project’s results.

The EcoFemSkills project generated impactful results promoting green skills and female empowerment in rural areas. Key outputs included: an Educational Needs Diagnosis report (both public-friendly and academic versions), a comprehensive multilingual Learning Course covering plastic recycling, ecofeminism, and entrepreneurship, and a 5-day hands-on Training in Tenerife for women from Spain and Greece. Additionally, extensive Local Trainings were implemented in both countries, and a plastic recycling workshop was established in Patras with DIY machines. These activities fostered technical and entrepreneurial skills, raised awareness on sustainability and gender issues, and built transnational community links. The project also produced publicly available materials (guides, travelogue, EPALE articles), enabling broader dissemination and future replication of the initiative.